Pity the plight of young fellows
by Darinda
Summary: Fighting and killing, that was a woman's job. As the sole users of Aura, women were the ones who made up the huntress corps. But when one boy is near death, the universe makes an exception. What is it about him that death was unable to exact its due?
1. Chapter 1

"I told you I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spy on you and Rose and I- AH"

Jaune winced as his sister Natalie tightened her grip on his arms. Her fingers were like iron, and he was reminded of the feeling he got when He couldn't really pay attention to her at the moment however. Jaune knew he wasn't the most socially aware person in the world, but he wasn't blind enough to miss his sisters' clenched jaw and stabbing gaze. It had come about from a very unexpected flare up of brotherly protectiveness that he could not explain, and as he sat staring at two veritable blonde demons who looked to want nothing less than to stare him into a frozen tomb, he couldn't help but feel a flood of remorse and even more anger at himself. How could he ever have thought that his sisters would need _his_ help?

"Do you realize how difficult it is to find a guy who doesn't mistake you for your twin?" Rose asked him without a hint of emotion.

"How difficult it is to find a civilian in this shitty village who is not only cute, but funny and smart and who doesn't fetishize you for being a huntress?" Lily followed up without missing a beat.

"What's fetishi-" Jaune made to ask only to get two very angry older sisters in his face, his mouth shutting seemingly of it's own volition.

"How difficult it is to even show your face to them again, after your idiot brother goes and accuses them of cheating on you with their own SISTERS?" Rose clarified the final part of her question with a screech.

"How was I to know they were their sisters?! I just thought that-" Jaune made to defend himself but the incredulous look on his sisters faces he had assumed to have been a breakthrough morphed into a scowl that he had never seen before. They both spoke at the same time in that way that usually creeped him out but now made him wince and close his eyes.

"YOU HAVE SEVEN SISTERS. HOW CAN YOU NOT ENTERTAIN THAT AS A POSSIBILITY?"

"Well I just-"

"And it's not like we can forgive you for doing it spontaneously either. You waited at least a week to picture them, and despite the option for you to come to us early so we could beat you over your head with the evidence, you waited till we were on our last dates before Beacon starts." Rose intoned with a sigh, the morph giving way to an exhausted look that had a pit forming in Jaune's stomach. Why was he always like this?

"I just thought that since I was useless while you fought Grimm in the wilds and Beacon, I could maybe help you here. You always protect me but I thought I could help to make sure that you didn't get hurt by those guys. Not that they could hurt you, just that they could make you distracted and then I thought of what happened to Jennifer and I didn't want that to happen and I thought if I made you guys break up now while we had some time you would be over it when you got to Beacon. I'm sorry. I know I should stop trying to act like I can protect anyone but you're my sisters and I-"

Jaune couldn't breathe as he was bear hugged from two sides. Natalie had let go of his arms to wrap herself around his neck, and Rose was trying to bury her head into his chest, her arms squeezing his chest with force. He looked up to see Lily staring at him wide eyed while he struggled to breathe. Seeing the blue tint to his face, Lily snapped out of her trance.

"Rose, Natalie, he can't breathe."

Rose instantly stopped squeezing but her arms stayed at his sides as she refused to let go of him, while Natalie did the same. Jaune was prepared for anger, for a tongue lashing, hell even a physical lashing. But he could never get used to any of the women in his family crying. Which was because he had never seen them cry in the first place. To say he idolized his sisters would be a gargantuan understatement. He knew the training they had to undergo, the risks they took every single day of their lives, the danger they were in at all times because of their aura. He was sure his heart had stopped beating when he saw the moisture in Rose' eyes. Rose was the one their mother relied on to keep them all in line. Even her twin Lily, and to an extent the elder sisters as well, bowed to her in most matters. To see her crying was akin to seeing the very foundation you built your life on teeter and tilt and expose cracks. And to know that you caused it? Jaune didn't even have the energy to hate himself as he closed his eyes and looked away, anywhere where he wouldn't see those beautiful eyes he had stained with tears. And to think this had all started because he didn't want his sisters to be hurt by some guy. God, what a joke. He felt a hand under his chin swivel his head back.

"I know what you're thinking you lovely, perfect, stupid, boy. I'm not crying because I'm sad you idiot. I'm crying because I'm happy. Happy because of how lucky I am to have such a thoughtful, loving brother." Rose wiped the tears from her eyes as her smile was suddenly gone and she regarded him measuredly.

"And I'm not going to hear any more of that self-deprecating hogwash from you anymore. You're our brother. You'll always be our brother, and just because you can't fight Grimm won't change that. Have you ever seen mom ask dad why he can't fight? Do you think he wouldn't be out there with her if guys had aura? Do you think mom would just move on if something happened to dad? I know with all my heart that if you had aura you would be out there with us, and I love you more than you'll ever know because of that. Do you understand?"

Jaune nodded, and put on his best smile for his sisters. When he felt it waver he moved forward towards Rose to bury his head in the crook of her neck. He cursed as he felt tears escape unbidden to wet his sisters shirt. How could she understand? If she saw any of her family in danger she could fight, she could kill, she could – and he shuddered at the thought – die to protect them. All he could do was watch. Even if he chose to sacrifice himself he could barely give them more than a second before he would be struck down. Natalie stiffened behind him but he couldn't feel anything other than Lily coming around to wrap her arms around him as she kissed his cheek and wiped his tears. And it was to this scene that Jean and Anna Arc walked in.

"Well well, Anna. I never thought I'd say this but you were right. Our family is messed up. Rose said they were going to punish him but I can't really see a lot of punishing going on" Jean sniggered through a smirk.

Anna, ever the lewd one was not far behind. "What do we know, sis. Maybe they're brocons. Either way we should supp-"she couldn't finish as she was lifted up by an unseen force and plastered to the ceiling.

Rose returned her hand to Jaune's back and sighed.

"I hate her so much sometimes."

Jaune couldn't help but laugh quietly as he moved back. He could still feel Natalie at his back, and she had even gotten marginally tighter in her embrace. Jaune discretely reached for his shirt so he could wipe his eyes before he turned around to hug Natalie again, who finally let go very reluctantly.

"Im sorry for making you guys worry, and for ruining your dates."

Rose and Lily smiled before an expression he couldn't recognize flitted across Lily's face and she smiled the most saccharine smile he had ever seen.

"Well, that's all well and good but you do realize we still need to punish you right?"

Jaune paled at the question. He had subconsciously pushed the matter of atonement to the back of his mind after the group hug, maybe out of some misplaced feeling that his sisters had forgiven him. But once again the vindictive nature of the opposite sex scared him as he saw Rose move from a confused look to one of recognition as she too smiled her most sinister smile at him. Let it be said, that though they loved him, Jaune knew very well they would never let him get away with anything that crossed one of them.

Natalie couldn't help but smile when Rose and Lily opened the door to their room. It was a testament to their skills that she knew she would have mistaken Jaune for a shy, pretty blonde had she not seen him go into the room. His short hair was done up in that style she had seen some lesbians on TV wearing. The dress he was wearing was one of Natalie's, a floral print that reached her feet but only covered Jaune till the knees. His face was made up, with a dusting of blush she was sure was not needed seeing how embarrassed he was. The lipstick was a bright pink, and the eyeliner they had applied was a bright pink as well. Her sisters wanted their pound of flesh it seemed. Natalie had to admit if their resolve would waver after Jaune's outburst but she had been mistaken. Thinking of the outburst soured her good mood again but before she could dwell on it her mother came bounding up the stairs.

"What is taking you all- Goddamnit Rose, Lily. What the hell is this? I told you we were getting late and you're playing dressup with your brother" sighing, the matriarch of the Arc family moved forwards and looked her son over.

"Jaune, sweety you need to stand up for yourself. Stop letting them bully you so much. Now let's get you out of this mess while I think up a suitable punishment for Rose and Lily"

Before she could make to reach for his dress to unzip it, Jaune stepped back and spoke.

"Mom, its okay. I deserve it this time actually. I messed up their dates and this is my way of making up to them."

"Jaune you don't have to cower before them, these two will be gone to Beacon soon, thank God for that. I'll make sure they don't do anything to you before I kick them back out."

The affronted expression of the twins was worth it as they stared long and hard at their mothers face set in a neutral mask. The staring contest stopped when they spotted a slight uptick of their mothers full lips and both twins huffed and turned around, only stopping when Jaune spoke again.

"It's not that mom, they didn't have to threaten me this time. I, just, lets just please go to the lake. I saw myself in the mirror and even I couldn't tell it was me. I'm sure no one will recognize me."

Their mother stared into Jaune's eyes long and hard before she sighed in defeat and ordered them all to get to the cars.

Their dad was waiting with a bored expression that lit up when he saw his 'brood' as he called them affectionately come out, though he couldn't help but stare long at the eighth blonde he saw trailing behind the twins. Had the girls brought a friend over for the getaway?

"Hey girls, finally ready? I see you brought a friend. Won't you introduce us?"

At this the twins devolved into fits of laughter that he thought were very unladylike and perplexing. Was it something he had said? To his surprise even his wife Violetta was having trouble holding in her laughter as she covered her face with her shawl in vain, the great heaving breaths she was taking telling him all he needed to know. Only Natalie was somewhat composed, with a small smile threatening to break out. The girl on the other hand looked positively murderous, glaring at him with sapphire eyes that he couldn't help but feel were famili-

"Oh God Jaune tell me that isn't you."

At this, his wife finally lost her control, erupting in guffaws that he would make her pay for later.

"Can we just go to this fucking lake already?" Jaune as good as screamed as he lurched into the car. It seemed his son was very good at emulating the opposite sex, so good that he even gave Anthony the familiar feeling of a pit in his stomach that was associated with female displeasure before he remembered this was his son. At least, he hoped it was his son.

People would ask Violetta why she gave up her illustrious career and disappeared from the huntress sphere. They would ask why someone as talented and powerful as her would choose to settle down with a man so early in her life. Why someone who was being considered for the next headmistress of Beacon academy would give up the life she had worked so hard to make. No one kept records of how many Grimm a huntress had killed. Even then, few doubted that none could have surpassed her kill count. She had killed Goliaths that were 30 feet tall alone. She had been caught in the middle of a massive Grimm migration and had made it out with not so much as a scratch on her beautiful face. Why then would someone settle for a life of mediocrity? She couldn't help but laugh in the face of the interviewer that had asked her that. She saw Natalie jump from the swing into the river right on top of Lily's head, the older girl emerging from the water sputtering in rage as she gave chase to her younger sibling. She saw Rose laughing so hard she was afraid she would drown because of how out of her faculties she seemed. She saw her husband creeping up on Rose and she knew that would not end for either for them. And she saw Jaune laying his head on her lap. She had to admit, he made a pretty girl, not that she would admit it in front of him. His sisters teased him enough as it was. The sun was at the perfect position in the sky, and the shade of the trees made for the perfect temperature. He was asleep, his eyes closed and his breathing quick.

Violetta loved her children. To ask her to choose between them would be to admit that you knew nothing of what it meant to be a parent. It wasn't that her heart was divided between her children and her husband, but that with each child her heart expanded to fit the absolute adoration she felt for them all. Most of the time, anyway. But deep down inside, and after Jennifer, she had been secretly relieved when she saw her _son_ for the first time. No more worrying about whether he would want to be a huntress, no more worrying about her child fighting creatures of Grimm and no more worrying about her child facing the worst that humanity and Faunus could offer. He stirred just then and opened his eyes, the bright sapphire spheres meeting her own browns.

"Hey mom, how long was I out?"

"Not long. Don't you want to swim?"

"I don't feel like it. I'm gonna take a walk alright?"

"Don't go too far."

"I'm not a child mom. I can walk without dying to some grimm." He replied tersely, and she couldn't help a gasp as an image of her baby boy underneath Grim- she pushed the image out of her mind and watched him go.

He was much taller than any of his sisters, probably because of his father's genetics. She couldn't help the feeling he was hiding something from her, and the gnawing at her heart grew stronger. Biting her lip she turned to watch her husband submerging their daughter under water. Surprise was all that kept her from instantly coming back up. Jaune would open up to her when he was ready and he was probably angry because of the dress. She'd make his sisters make it up to him. And, she thought as she got up, her husband looked too delicious shirtless to not be taken advantage of.

Jaune didn't know where he was going. The trees all looked the same to him, and his sense of direction was worse than a compass with a magnet on it. He just wanted to walk so he could get the dream he had out of his head. He didn't understand what had brought this sudden bout of depression on. Of course he was saddened when he learned he couldn't have an aura because he was a boy. He had thrown a tantrum for days before Jennifer had calmed him down. And it all came down to Jennifer didn't it. The oldest Arc offspring was absolutely perfect in the eyes of nearly everyone. She was beautiful enough that he remembered dozens of bouquets arriving at their house throughout her stay at beacon, and even more suitors when she came home. She was also undoubtedly the best huntress in a generation, undefeated throughout her four years in Beacon. She had received offers of employment from the SDC multiple times to head their security apparatus but had turned them down again and again. All of which changed when she went on one simple scouting mission. It was supposed to be simple recon of a white fang facility that harbored some of the more extreme cells. In the end it had turned out to be anything but. No one was willing to give him the details but he had seen the scars his sister bore when they visited her. Her bicep was burned and almost black, while her sternum had a net of scar tissue that ended above her right breast. He remembered feeling helpless for the first time that day. He had been ten years old at the time. She had visited him again in his dreams today. All she did was look at him, her disfigurement bare for the world to see. The doctors had said the damage was too much and though she would be back to a hundred percent for combat, the most they could do was hope for the scars to fade. In his dreams he saw her stare at him silently, then ask him one word.

"Why?"

"I don't understand Jennifer, what's going on?"

"Why didn't you help me?"

"I, I-"

"Why didn't you stop this from happening?"

"Jennifer please I don't know what's"

Before he could ask anymore she had removed her garment. He expected to feel shame but he couldn't help but cringe when he saw her entire body blackened and scarred. That was when he had woken up. He would have to apologize to his mother when he got back. A snap in the distance caught his attention, and he could hear voices. He pushed through the undergrowth to see a peculiar sight. It was a huntress and two girls. That and there were numerous dead Grimm around them. One of the girls was almost as tall as him, with a beige jacket and a yellow mane of hair that reached her hips. With a blush, he realized he had been staring at the well-endowed girl for longer than appropriate. The other girl was much shorter, with black hair. What made him stare at her though was the massive scythe she wielded like it was nothing. It was clear she was related to the huntress, who was quite tall herself and dressed in a grey suit with the same massive scythe in her hands. These were clearly huntresses in training practicing with the huntress. He wanted to watch but he felt rather than heard another twig breaking directly behind him.

Turning around, he realized two things immediately. He was face to face with a Beowulf, the large red eyes staring malevolently into his own as its mouth foamed and a low growl escaped its throat. He had heard the growl on the vids but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer fear the sound sent through him, his very bones vibrating along with the sound. The second thing he realized was that he had pissed himself. Before he could think anything else the Beowulf was on him. He didn't hear himself scream as the monster buried itself in his chest. In his delirium he was reminded of Rose nuzzling his chest this morning. The next thing he knew the Beowulf had been sheared in half. Its red eyes were as surprised as his, and if he could have, he would have laughed. As the creature fell to the side, the red in its eyes dimming, he looked down and saw a curious sight. He could see his intestine, slipping out of the gouge the creature had made. He made to touch it only to be restrained by soft hands as the huntress from before straddle him carefully and place her hands on his chest. He remembered his mother unlocking his sisters' aura much the same way. He wanted to say something, to tell her it was no use. Instead he thought of his mother, his father, his sisters. Would his mother hate him? The huntress stopped her chant and he spasmed. It felt like his heart would beat out of his chest. What was this feeling? Was death this, this _exhilarating?_ How cruel was this irony, that he felt like he was invincible at the moment of his passing? He realized he could make out words again but his mind was still addled.

"It's okay Yang, let go of her. I've unlocked her aura."

"Are you sure Qrow? That Beowulf took a chunk out of her. I think we need to get her to a hospital."

He felt the vibrations of footsteps running towards him and the bushes were trampled as his mother emerged, her eyes wild and panicked. The scream that left her throat when she saw him would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"JAUNE". In a moment she had pushed the huntress off him with a whimper and she took his face in his hands.

"No, no please baby don't go I can't lose you. Please stay with me Jaune."

The huntress tried to interject.

"Hey, it's okay. I've unlocked her aura. She's healing, see for yourself."

His mother ignored her nonsense to stare into his eyes. She kissed the back of his hand and he was surprised he didn't feel any pain. He could visibly see his mother's grip his hand and he could tell that she was applying force.

"Im sorry mom." He croaked out.

"Shhh, its okay baby. You're going to be just fine. Your father called the hospital, they're sending a bullhead to pick us up. I'm not letting you go anywhere." Jaune wanted to keep his eyes open but fatigue wrestled him down and he couldn't help but fall unconscious.

As her son's eyes drooped Violetta's mewling became desperate. This couldn't be happening. She refused to accept it. She would kill the first liar who told her that her son was dead. She reached down to try to stop the bleeding but she couldn't find the wound. Loathe as she was to take her eyes off him, she looked down only to find no trace of the fatal gash. There was only a scar where the wound should have been. How was this possible? She looked up to see the huntress looking at her with concern. Two girls hid behind her and she could see the smaller one's eyes red, tear tracks visible on her cheeks. It must have been a semblance of theirs. She looked down and choked out a happy sob. Jaune was breathing. It was erratic and unsteady but he was breathing. A smile broke out on her face as she addressed her son's savior.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Thank you for saving my son."

The huntress looked at her warily, before slowly replying.

"I'm sorry sister, but that's your daughter. If it was your son I don't think we could have saved him."

"But your semblance? Didn't you use it to heal him?"

Qrow almost scoffed at the shaking, desperate woman. Her semblance was probably what caused this to happen.

"It definitely wasn't my semblance. Or my nieces' for that matter. I unlocked her aura and it did the rest. She's got a lot of it as well, almost as much as some full grown huntresses I know."

The woman had gone very still at her words, and Qrow thought she had made some faux pas. The tension in the air was suffocating as she waited for the woman to speak.

"You unlocked his aura? But. How?"

"Aren't you Violetta Arc? I knew I recognized you from somewhere. Do you not remember how your semblance was unlocked?"

Qrow must have prodded too far because the woman scowled at her before growling.

"Do not try to _fuck_ with me right now. I'm not in the mood for jokes." The underbrush parted again as a man and 3 girls came bounding out.

"Violetta, what's hap- oh God Jaune."

The man and the girls fell to their knees next to the woman as he tried to look for the injury.

Violetta hugged them all together before speaking softly.

"It's alright. We just need to get him to a hospital."

"What the hell happened to him?"

Qrow couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten mixed up in. The family was treating the poor girl like a boy. Qrow knew that wasn't possible, she had unlocked her aura herself. The couple stopped talking and the man picked up the girl in his arms. Before he could go though, Violetta stopped him.

"Anthony, I can run faster with him. I'm going to get him to the car and to a hospital."

Turning to Qrow, her face morphed into a grimace.

"I'm sorry for my outburst. You saved my son, and I won't forget that."

"It's fine. You get her to a hospital. I've got a car, we'll bring the rest of you there."

Nodding in thanks, Violetta bounded away almost as quickly as Ruby when she was using her semblance. The stories about her weren't exaggerations apparently. One of the girls spoke up then.

"Can we get to your car now?"

Nodding, Qrow started to jog back to where she had parked. She would have been happier she had saved someone but a feeling that this was far from over pervaded her mind. Why did she feel like she was about to be a part of something big? Again?


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, so I forgot to do this at the end of the last chapter so I guess I'll put it here. This is the family I'm going with. The OC's will have quite a part to play in this, but of course they won't be overshadowing the main RWBY cast. If you liked or hated this chapter, please leave a review with your comments. Thank you for the support J

Father – Anthony Arc

Mother – Violetta Arc

1- Jennifer Arc (huntress)

2- Arya Arc (huntress)

3- Jean Arc (huntress

4- Anna Arc (huntress)

5- Lily Arc and Rose Arc (4th year)

6- Natalie Arc (1st year)

7- Jaune Arc (16 years old)

Jaune woke to find a world of white. His eyes protested and forced themselves shut, as he moved his hands to shield himself from the offending flare. When his pupils had contracted enough, he chanced a look to realize he was looking at a fluorescent tube light. That was peculiar. There were no tube lights at his home. Sitting up, realization began to dawn on him as he took in his surroundings. He was in what he assumed was supposed to be a long gown but which barely covered his knees. His lower body was covered with trousers that completed the set. There was a monitor on a stand next to his bed, with wires strapped to his chest and an IV in his arm. He saw a flash of red eyes in his vision and he remembered with crystal clarity what had happened. He had been attacked and disemboweled by a Beowulf. That wasn't confusing though. The fact is that Grimm were as much a part of life in Remnant as humans. No place was ever truly safe, especially not a lake that was on the outskirts of civilization. No, he wasn't confused about why he had been attacked. He was confused about why he was alive. He had seen the wound the creature had caused, he could still feel his entrails sliding over his skin. Unless he was in a hospital at that moment, there was no way he could have survived. He remembered his mother talking about a Bullhead but he knew she was just comforting him. The drive must have taken at least an hour. How could he have survived?

The door opened at that moment and a nurse came in, looking at her scroll. She barely paid attention to him before she looked up and her eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape. Jaune winced as the crash of the scroll assaulted his ears and almost deafened him.

"You're a-, awake. I, I need to inform your mother. Please don't move."

The nurse ran out of the room before Jaune could get in a word edgewise and he was left alone again. He spied a couch in a corner of the room, where he noticed a pillow and a blanket that were teetering on the edge, liable to fall off at any second. Before he could continue his observations he heard a footfall of steps rushing towards his room. The door opened and he couldn't help a yelp of surprise as he saw the oldest child of the Arc brood, Jennifer. She was almost as tall as him and usually her combination of breathtaking beauty and the assuredness she carried herself with was enough to immediately unnerve strangers and put them on guard immediately. But right now her eyes were widened when she saw him. She stood in the doorway as they both stared at each other, and Jaune couldn't help but rub the back of his head as he looked away. Before he could turn back to her she had him in an embrace that he thought should have hurt a lot more than it was hurting right now. She let go of him to bring her hands to his face as she sat down with him. He was relieved to see that her eyes were dry, and there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

"You idiot."

Jaune didn't know what to say so he settled for a questioning look at his sister, which she returned to his chagrin.

"Was that a question?"

"No, just an observation."

"Yeah well, that's more like a universal fact of life now." He remembered that she had been away in Vacuo, helping the authorities there with a Grimm problem. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Vacuo?"

She returned a skeptical look that had him reconsidering his words.

"What I, I meant to say was that how did you get here so quickly? Isn't it a long flight?"

"How long do you think you've been out Jaune?" she asked him, the blank look on her face making his insides begin to knot.

"I feel pretty fresh so, a few hours maybe?"

"You've been out for two days." Her eyes were looking at him probingly, trying to gauge his reaction to the news, but all he could do was furrow his brows.

The news was surprising because Jaune had actually been unconscious for a full day before as a result of an unfortunate accident. When he had woken up nearly every part of his body hurt, and even blinking was agony for him. How could it be that he felt so good after two days then? Before he could ask anything else, the door crashed open and the rest of the Arc family flooded the room. His mother was on him in a flash, and he was blinded as she crushed his head into her bosom. It must have been minutes before she separated herself from him just enough to see his face, and he could see the tears in her beautiful green eyes. The silence was broken by none other than Jean, and for once he couldn't help but smile at her teasing voice.

"Sheesh mom, hold him any closer and people will start to talk."

Violetta was about to tell her precious daughter exactly what she thought of her snide comments but she was enraptured by Jaune actually laughing at his sisters' stupid innuendos for once. The sound was priceless to her ears, and she stared at his scrunched up face with her hands on his heaving chest, determined to commit it to memory. As his laughter died down, she realized she had been selfish. He wasn't just her son, he was her husbands' as well and a brother too. With more willpower than she had shown in a very long time she let go of him and let her husband slide into her place. It wasn't long before Anthony was hugging Jaune almost as tightly as she had been, whispering into his ears even though everyone else could still hear his sighs of relief and the silent nothings he spoke. Whether it was to comfort Jaune or himself, well that was anyone's guess. He wasn't given long before the nudging on his back got uncomfortable enough to force him to cede ground to his daughters. They swarmed him at once. Jean and Arya shuffling around to get a word in but Natalie, Rose Lily and Anna had firmly entrenched themselves by his side forcing the older girls to stand by the bedside. They spoke all at once, and even Violetta had trouble making out the questions from the relief they were expressing. As quickly as it had started, it stopped and they all looked at him expectantly.

Jaune had newfound appreciation for what his mother went through raising 8 children. The woman was mobbed by this exact scene near daily as far as he could remember, whether it was his sisters and him vying for her attention before heading to school or it was them arguing and trying to place the blame on someone else. She had had this miraculous ability to separate the dust from the ore and tell exactly who was lying and who needed attention first that he envied her now that he saw his sisters looking at him as if they had made a modicum of sense. He didn't even know if they had asked him a question. When he stared back at them Anna was unable to help herself and blurted out.

"Well, are you just going to stare at us or are you going to answer?"

Before he could make an excuse to cover his bewilderment his gracious, wonderful mother stepped in.

"He needs his rest, not to have his eardrums shattered. Get off the bed and let Arya and Jean talk to him."

The girls grumbled but none of them had the guts to go against their mother's decree when she used her commanding voice. Arya took her place and sat on his right, with Jean opposite her. Arya then spoke evenly enough for Jaune to know something was brewing.

"Do you know what I was doing before I heard what happened?" When no answer came, she continued.

"I was getting you this."

It was then that Jaune noticed the package she had come in with. There was no mistaking what it was from its shape and Jaune stared at his sister in disbelief. She had to prod him to rip open the packaging. Jaune had one thing he was proud of. One thing he could do better than his sisters. And that was playing the guitar and singing. The new guitar Arya had got for him was magnificent. The wood was polished to that deep shade of brown that you knew came from the strongest trees in the forest. The strings were strong, and they hummed steadily as he touched them. Putting the guitar down he moved forwards to embrace his sister in a short hug.

"I love it. Thank you Arya."

"You're welcome."

The tender moment was broken, as usual, by Jean.

"Of course you get him a gift without telling the rest of us. Now I look like a bitch. Thanks Arya."

Before Arya could retort, Jaune spoke up.

"What do you mean 'now I look like a bitch'?"

The meaning was not lost on anyone if the laughter was anything to go by, and even Jean's icy stare was broken by an upturning of her lips. As a comfortable silence descended on the room, Jaune pushed ahead to confront the elephant in the room.

"Mom, how did I live?"

His sisters were confused, and so was his father but the way his mother stiffened and stopped breathing told him that she had not told anyone the extent of his injuries. Jennifer was the first to speak, and her tone was dangerous.

"Why would you ask that Jaune? Mom told us you were just bowled over by a Grimm."

Jaune was confused. Had he imagined the blood and the viscera? There was only one way to know for sure.

Before anyone could ask what he was doing he lifted up his shirt. There were gasps and inhales nearby but he was mesmerized by the scar that crisscrossed his abdomen and travelled from one side to another. When he looked up, his family wasn't looking at him but at his mother. His father was the first to speak, and his tone was something Jaune had never heard before.

"What the _fuck_ Violetta. You told me that blood wasn't his. What is this?"

Before she could answer, Jennifer moved in, and her voice exuded danger.

"Mom, why did you lie about his injuries? You told me he was fine, and I didn't need to visit him. Why would you do that when he was so extensively wounded?"

Before any of the other sisters could pile up on her, Violetta spoke. It was the quietest he had ever seen his mother.

"When I got there, he was on the ground. There was blood on his clothes and a Grimm sublimating next to him, with a huntress straddling him. When I reached him, the huntress told me something I couldn't believe, yet if she was lying he would have been dead." When Violetta looked up, her eyes were bland and unfocused like she was drugged.

"She told me she unlocked his aura."

The silence in the room was broken by Jennifer.

"Impossible. It must have been a semblance."

Violetta didn't say anything. She moved towards a meal tray one of the nurses had brought in during their reunion. Before anyone could even yell out a warning, she drove the plastic knife down into his arm. Jennifer moved first, grabbing her mother's hand and pulling it back from his body and holding it aloft before Jaune could even cry out. Not even a second had passed since his mother had moved. He had never before known how vulnerable anyone without aura was until now. He doubted whether he would have been able to stop her even if he had known what was going to happen, such was the speed with which everything took place. He looked down to see the knife embedded in his arm. No. How could this be? The knife had fallen off the side of the bed, leaving his arm spotless. Even a paper knife would have rent his arm with the force and speed his mother had moved with. With him still in shock, it was Arya that spoke up.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Their mother suddenly looked twenty years older, and as Jennifer's hand slackened she fell back into the couch and stared at the ceiling.

"When I got to him, there was a huntress on top of him who said she had unlocked his aura. I didn't believe it at first either but, there was so much blood. I know he would have died. You just can't lose that much blood and live. You've seen the scars as well. As much as every fiber of rational thought in my body is telling me it can't be true, the fact remains. Jaune has aura."

Jennifer had recovered from her shock, moving towards the door to ensure that it was locked. She came back and her voice was almost a whisper.

"Who else knows?"

Their father was the one to speak up.

"The huntress that saved him. During the drive back she kept insisting that she had unlocked his aura and we kept telling her that Jaune was a boy. After a while she went quiet. I'd bet she realized what had happened."

"Who was she?"

It was their mother that answered.

"Qrow Branwen"

" _Fuck_ " Jennifer sighed before continuing.

"We should expect a visit from Ozpin soon. She's a good woman, but make no mistake. We trust no one. Jaune is well enough to be discharged, so I propose we get him out of here."

There was scant more than a nod by their mother before Jennifer moved towards the door to get a nurse to finish getting Jaune discharged. The door opened before she reached it and she muttered a resigned sigh. Jaune's bed was instantly surrounded on all sides by his family, his vision obscured by his sisters and his parents.

Jennifer had worked with Qrow before. The woman was a drunkard and a female philanderer but was one of the best huntresses around. She liked Qrow but at the moment she would have sooner stabbed her than let her see Jaune. It was Ozpin who spoke though.

"Ah Jennifer, it's been far too long."

"Hello to you as well Ozpin. To what do I owe this visit? My brother has recently been injured so I won't be taking any assignments at the moment."

It was a pitiful deflection but Jennifer had to try. She was unsuccessful, of course. It was Qrow who spoke this time.

"Jennifer, you know we're not here to harm him. But word will spread about him. Would you rather deal with us than someone unknown."

Jennifer's stare was nothing short of arctic.

"Qrow, you know I can't trust you. I know you've got nieces, and I know you can imagine how I'm feeling right now."

It was Ozpin who spoke next.

"Jennifer, do you think we would simply abduct your brother from under your nose? Abduct the son of Violetta Arc? I'd like to keep on living for the next few years if I could. I've got a lot to do. So how about you invite us in, and we talk. That's all I want."

It was her mother that replied.

"It's fine Jen. Ozpin, it's been a while."

The female headmistress of Beacon academy was as usual in her unzipped black suit over a buttoned vest and green shirt. Thankfully she didn't have her coffee mug with her this time. The atmosphere in the room relaxed slightly, and Violetta moved from the foot of the bed to allow Jaune to see his visitors. Qrow was visibly uncomfortable.

"How can someone look good as a boy and a girl?"

Violetta's tone was lethal.

"I'm sorry Qrow, were you saying something about my sixteen year old son?"

"No, no. Violetta, you know me. I'm not into the young ones. I was just remarking how, um."

Ozpin thankfully cut in.

"Would you mind if I examined him?"

"Examined him how?"

"It won't be anything overt. I just want to sense his aura."

Her husband and she looked at each other and she knew he was trusting her to do what she felt right. Nodding once, she moved aside. The rest of the Arc sisters made way for Ozpin as well.

"Ah Miss Natalie, Miss Rose, and Miss Lily. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. Now, Jaune. How do you feel?"

Jaune realized he had been addressed for the first time in almost ten minutes. He expected to feel trepidation towards the headmaster, but was surprised to find himself liking the woman immediately.

"I feel fine. Actually I feel really good. I know I shouldn't since I woke up after two days but I've never felt like this before."

"That's good to hear. Now relax. I'm going to try and get a feel for your aura. Don't worry, it won't hurt."

Ozpin sat next to him and took his hand. Jaune had to fight down a blush and he couldn't help but feel anger at his hormones. As soon as it had begun though, it ended and Ozpin let go of his hand.

"There can be no doubt. Jaune has aura. And quite a lot of it. I've seen less aura than this in some final year students. Violetta may I speak with you and Anthony in private?"

Jennifer immediately sat up.

"Not without me, Ozpin."

It was his mother that silenced her.

"I'll be fine Jen. Just stay here and let us talk."

Jaune saw the four of them move out of the room, leaving the eight siblings alone. Almost immediately, Jean was on him. The next thing he knew his hair was standing up and his muscles were twitching. Jean's smile was wiped by the rest of the sisters immediately pouncing on her.

"What the fuck Jean. Why would you use your semblance on him?" Rose screeched.

"Relax. Our baby brother has aura now. There's no excuse for any of you to hold back when he pisses you off. God knows we don't spare each other."

Jennifer's voice could not be further from joking however.

"No. Until we know more, none of you are to treat him any more roughly than you did before. Jean, you want someone to use your semblance on, use me. We are not taking risks with this."

It was then that the door opened and their parents returned with Ozpin who addressed her current students.

"Miss Rose, Miss Lily, and Miss Natalie. I expect to see you back on the first day of the semester. Jaune, hopefully the next time we meet will be under better circumstances. Violetta, Anthony. I hope you think on my offer. Of course if you need any help I am available, regardless of what you decide. I bid you farewell."

With that, the door closed and immediately Jaune saw his parents get mobbed by the rest of them, only for Jennifer to make her way in and silence the rest. It was good to see that something's never changed.

"What did he want mom?"

"The doctors here, they know about Jaune."

"What? But how?"

"I don't know but Ozpin said she intercepted communications sent to the council of Vale. We don't know what they're going to do." Violetta sat on the couch with her head in her hands, leaving their father to carry on.

"She said that she would try to keep the Vale council away from Jaune as long as she could. But in the end, there won't be any place they won't find him."

Jennifer's anger was almost dripping from her words.

"Let them try."

His father stared at his daughters, each more furious than the last before he spoke.

"She did tell us of one place that could keep him safe and where the council won't be able to touch him."

"Where?" Jaune finally cut in, and it almost seemed like his sisters were surprised by his voice.

"She wants us to enroll him in Beacon next year."


	3. Chapter 3

The silence following their father's statement had lasted longer than Jaune would have expected when he reflected on it later. His family, headstrong and boisterous as they were, was not one for incoherent babbling when surprised. In the end it was Jean that brought everyone's minds back to the room with her guffawing laughter.

"HA, that's a good one dad. It almost sounded like you were serious about sending Jaune to an academy people train for years to have a _slither_ of a chance of being accepted into."

"Jean, this is serious. We need t-"

"Of course it's serious dad. Jaune has aura and soon enough the type of people who would do anything to have him under their control will know about him. So I suggest we stop with the poorly timed comic relief and focus on getting him back to Vicus soon. Honestly dad, how could you believe Ozpin when she said that we won't be able to defend him. Do you think Jennifer and Arya or Lily and me won't be able to keep him safe? You think mom would let anything happen to her _only son._ "

His father was a very cheerful man. Always present with a joke to lighten up a mood or make them laugh. So when Jaune heard the jarring lack of any emotion in his father's reply he couldn't help but wince at how wrong it sounded.

"You think I want to make this decision? To have to choose between handing my son over to a stranger's mercies or bring war to my family? To have to choose between my son possibly dyi-, not surviving initiation at Beacon or becoming a, I don't even know what, when the council gets their hands on him?"

His father was not meek. He was a social activist that had clashed with the highest authority in every one of the four kingdoms for causes he believe in. It had been the strength he had shown while kidnapped that had driven his rescuer –his wife– into his arms. Yet now he could see the tremors in his hands and the timbre of his voice wavering. He held his own right hand to try to stop the trembling but it was not enough. Not until he felt another hand on his shoulder from behind.

"We are not discussing this here."

Their mother came up from behind to support her husband and moved to the cables that were wound around his chest and arms, ripping them off roughly as one would a leech. The flatline was loud and grating on the ears, and she moved to turn it off next. The same nurse that he had woken up to ran into the room with naked worry on her face, and Jaune felt bad for how they must have nearly given her a heart attack. Her voice was shrill as she confronted his mother, but the look on his mother's face was one he had never seen before. She moved towards the nurse ever so slowly and gracefully, and Jaune wanted to get up. To stop his mother from harming the woman because every single person in the room knew there wouldn't be enough of the nurse left to bury if someone didn't move soon. Instead, she stopped just before the woman and spoke softly but clearly, dropping the temperature in the room with each word.

"I know it was you relaying information about my son. Tell your masters this. If they come after my family, I come after theirs. Leave us in peace. Or I leave you in pieces."

With that she turned away from the nurse who promptly fled as Jaune dropped his legs to the floor, not quite aware of his surroundings. Supported by his father, his gait was like that of an automaton. As the large family made their way through the hospital, some other doctors made to approach them. Whether it was from altruistic reasons or to keep him there till the council made a decision was anyone's guess, but none could bear to suffer the look his mother affixed them with.

On the way back their car was flanked by Jennifer's car with Anna and Jean on one side and with Arya's motorcycle on the other. The atmosphere was quiet, the only sounds coming from the engine, the seatbelt indicator and the turn signals. Jaune went over the conversation he had been rehearsing since they left the hospital in his head one final time and spoke, the voice coming out raspy and ineligible at first because of his dry throat.

"I'm *cough* *cough*"

His family looked at him with mild concern, but before they could smother him again he cleared his throat and spoke clearly this time.

"I'm going to Beacon."

Jaune couldn't fault his family their surprise. All except their mother that is. She had evidently been expecting this.

"Jaune. This isn't something we can be rash about. I know how having an aura can make you feel invincible, but you're not."

"I know mom. I'm as vulnerable as you. Or Jennifer. Or Arya, or Jean or Anna or Rose or Lily or Natalie."

"They have been training since they were ten. They've spent years at the combat schools. You can't reach the level of preparation and physical endurance they have in just one year Jaune."

"Then why would Ozpin invite me?"

"She's a collector. She likes her trophies." Violetta answered. "She doesn't see any more to you than something to boost Beacon's influence."

"So what? She's offered to help me. If the headmistress of Beacon thinks I can train enough in a year then why don't you?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE WEAK"

He had expected it to come from Jean if she was here, or Jennifer. But not Rose. The girl looked positively murderous and aura or no aura, Jaune felt a pulse of fear sitting next to her before his own anger boiled up.

"BECAUSE YOU'VE ALWAYS CODDLED ME. All of you. None of my friends had aura but they could still go to the field trips, they still learnt to fight. Every single one who had a mother or a sister who was a huntress could fight, except me. What use is having a family of huntresses if I couldn't even defend myself against a fucking Beowulf? They let kids 3 years younger than me fight them for training for fucks sake. Did any of you ever think that I wouldn't always be with you? So much for 'I know you'd fight with us if you could Jaune'. You just didn't care, each one of you passing it off to someone else, so you wouldn't have to train the defenseless babe that was your brother."

"Enough Jaune, Rose. No more talk of this till we get home." His father's voice had that steeliness he was unfortunately getting used to hearing but the fire in him was still not abated.

"Of course. Why wouldn't you cower behind mom? It's not like you've ever had your own opinions is it dad?"

His sisters gasped, and it would have been comical had it not been for his mother turning around. She had the same look that she had given to the hospital staff when leaving. Lips thinned, eyes narrowed and focused, boring into him with gusto.

"You will shut up NOW Jaune."

He wanted to argue but the chill with which his mother looked at him unnerved and smothered his rage easily. The rest of the ride was in silence with Lily trying to figure out whether to turn to her twin or him. She ended up falling back into her seat dejectedly as both of them shrugged off her hand, each staring intensely at the scene outside the window. When they finally reached home he didn't wait for the car to stop fully before he was bounding towards his room, ignoring the calls of his mother. He locked the room as soon as he entered and took out his scroll from his drawer.

The ride back home had cemented one thing in his mind. He couldn't ask for what he wanted anymore. He had a chance no man had ever had before him. A chance to stand as an equal next to his sisters, his mother, maybe even his future wife. He may have been weak but he was still an Arc. Navigating to Beacon academy's scrollpage, he searched for Ozpin's contact information. His family would give him time before they came to him, he knew that. He would have to do it now. The number dialed once, twice, thrice and Jaune moved to cancel the call before a voice called out.

"Professor Ozpin's office. How may I help you?"

"Yes, it's Jaune Arc. Can you tell her I need to talk to her? Tell her I have an answer for her."

"One moment please."

There was a pleasant wait tune which was mildly interesting to him with how benign it sounded. Before he could get through the first iteration of the tune however it cut off and a familiar voice spoke.

"Mister Arc. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one."

"Yes, umm headmistress Ozpin? I have, an answer. For you. I accept. I want to join Beacon."

"That's wonderful, I'll just send over-"

"My family doesn't know. They won't let me go. I know I don't have any training at all but I was thinking maybe you could help send me somewhere I could train till next year's initiation when I'm ready to join. I know it's not a long time but I know I can do it, I've seen my sister's practicing and I copied their exercises sometimes."

The line was silent for so long that Jaune thought Ozpin had hung up on him.

"I appreciate your position Jaune, but I do not think going behind your parents back is the correct option. I have no shame in saying that your sisters are formidable huntresses in their own right, and so is your mother. Any attempt to go behind their backs would result in threats at best and , well, you know full well how bad it could get."

Jaune breathed in once. This was his only chance to convince her.

"Professor, I know you don't owe me anything. Hell, I know you're probably taking a massive chance even inviting someone like me who has had no training to Beacon. But I want this more than you could ever imagine. You know I'm not meant for living at home while my sisters abandon their lives to keep watch over me. If you want I'll submit to whatever medical tests you want me to do to understand why I have aura. I know you want to know what's different about me and so do I. My family will, well they will understand. Eventually. I'm not asking you to whisk me away in the dead of night, anyway."

The silence this time stretched long enough that Jaune looked at his scroll, only to see it still connected. He didn't dare breathe a word however, waiting for the older huntress to begin.

"Pack your luggage and weapons tonight. Someone will be by to pick you up tomorrow morning."

Jaune could have almost cried in relief, but his gratitude was cut off by the almost silent voice on the other end of the scroll.

"Firstly, you do not have to consent to anything you don't want to do Jaune. You will be treated like any other student at Beacon, and no one will ever force you to do anything you don't want to do. Secondly, you should know this. You will not reach even half the skill of any of the initiates that will be attending Beacon. Despite how hard you get drilled or how long you train, you cannot compress six years of training into one. You will without a doubt be the weakest person in the entire batch. Combined with the unique position you find yourself in, I can ensure you that your first year will be tumultuous and chock full of challenges."

There was no question at the end. She was laying out the situation for him, to ensure he knew what he was getting into. Unfortunately for her, Jaune had always known he was the weakest. Except this time he had a chance to do something about it.

Lily came by and knocked on his door a few hours later to call him to dinner. As he sat their eating the steak their mother had cooked, he could feel their gazes on him. The table was dead silent except for the nudging and silent pleas Lily was sending her twin to apologize to him. But they were both Arcs, each more stubborn than the last. Even Arya, the rebellious one was quiet. The worst was his parents. He could tell she was looking at him wistfully. Out of his peripheral vision he saw her extend a hand halfway towards him then pull it back. He couldn't fault his parents the lack of communication. They probably thought he still needed time to figure out his new reality, and any contact before that was liable to aggravate him further. But they didn't know how he had fantasized about this exact scenario since the day he had seen Jennifer in her huntress regalia defending against a Grimm breach on television. How he had taken to practicing with a stick, copying his sisters routines. The awkwardness eventually became too much for him and he stood up, the thuds of his feet on the stairs deafening in the silence.

He had been on his scroll when there was a knock on the door. When he didn't answer it opened after a few moments anyway. His mother stood in the doorway, her eyes forlorn as she stared at him for permission. Tomorrow was going to be his last day at home, and he was loathe to leave his mother in this state. He nodded once and his mother near ran to his bed. As she sat next to him, he couldn't help but lay his head in her lap. Her hands stroked through his hair as he fell asleep, any concerns about packing forgotten as he reminisced of a far simpler time. He needed this as much as his mother did.

The morning found him tucked into bed with a blanket over him. The sun had been out for some time now. For a moment, he forgot what his life had become, content to lie in bed and enjoy his vacations. Then he remembered the call. He near jumped out of his bed and went to pull out his suitcase from underneath. The first to go into the suitcase was the pyjamas his sisters had given him. As he was packing he realized that Ozpin had told him to pack his luggage and his weapons. _His weapons_. He had never been bought a weapon, for training or for defense. Why would he need one anyway? Before he could think of a way to overcome this new problem the door opened. Jaune felt a pit in his chest not unlike the one he had felt when facing the Beowulf. His mother stood in the doorway, her mouth open and her eyes frozen to the suitcase he had been packing. Could he pass it off as just something he was doing in case they had to leave quickly? Y'know, for when the council sent robot huntress assassins after him. She would buy that right? He had expected anger, grief or even betrayal to be plastered on her face. But all he saw was resignation. She closed the door and walked into the room, sitting down on the bed and gesturing him to take position beside her. Jaune approached gingerly, still not sure whether this was a lure to get him to lower his guard. She spoke softly, her words caressing his ears as she had caressed his hair last night.

"You know you don't have to run away. I never expressly forbade you from joining Beacon. I just told you why it would have been a bad idea."

"I didn't know. I was worried about the girls more than you. You saw how Rose was, and I can already tell you most of them agree with her. Besides, I wasn't running away. I talked to Ozpin yesterday, and she said she would send someone to pick me up. I still have a year mom. I promise you I'll train hard enough to make you proud."

His mother cradled his head almost suffocating him, but he didn't mind. He didn't know when he would be coming back.

"I know you will. When are they going to arrive?"

"Any time now."

He could feel her start, before she composed herself again. _So soon_.

"Well then, you are going to have a breakfast you can remember. Besides. Ozpin may have managed to sway you but no number of huntresses, Grimm or teachers can keep me from visiting you whenever I want."

"I'd love that. Umm, mom can you tell the others. I don't really feel like testing how much damage aura can withstand so soon."

"Oh no, you don't get to hand that off that to me and-"

Her voice was cut off by a commotion downstairs. He ran to his window only to whimper as he saw all of his sisters and his father crowded around two huntresses. One of them was Qrow, the one who had saved him and the other was a beautiful huntress with blond hair, a white long-sleeved, pleated top and a black high-waisted pencil skirt.

"I'll get down there and calm them down. Finish packing."

"Wait, mom. I don't exactly have a weapon."

His mother gave him a look that he couldn't figure out, and without another word raced down, leaving Jaune alone. The volume of the commotion was growing, jerking him out of his indecision and he moved to pack the last of his essentials. Idly he noticed that the bag he was lifting was much lighter than he had thought it would be. The conversation outside had muted, but as he reached the outside doorway he heard Jennifer's voice cry out.

"Mom, you can't be serious. He's never even held a sword before. How do you expect him to learn six years' worth of combat skills and experience in barely an year? And if you're dead set on letting him do this, why not train him yourself? Or let me do it, or Arya or anyone else in the family?"

"You're telling me you would push him to the limit? Can you honestly tell me anyone of us would be able to ignore it when his body screams out to him that it can't take anymore? Every one of you, including me, would stop. And that would be the death of him. No, Jaune needs someone that will force him to confront his limits and surpass them. That is the only way he survives this. Besides, I trust Ozpin to train him enough to pass initiation. After that it's up to Jaune. And anyway all of you turned out fine didn't you?"

The blonde woman's eyes met his over his mother's shoulders and she spoke, shattering the silence his mother's revelations had left.

"Mister Arc, I see you're here. We should leave soon, we have a long journey ahead of us."

The faces that turned towards him carried a range of emotions. Hurt, concern, betrayal, anger. Each of his sisters worried for him in their own way. What he didn't expect to see was the pride in his father's eyes, despite what he had said. His sisters were still stumped by the news that their brother was going to go train under some huntress they had never met, and he took full advantage. Embracing each of them briefly but tightly, leaving them with a kiss on the cheek and playful assurances. Jennifer was too quick to let him get away so easily however. She returned his embrace many fold, then keeping him at arm's length looked into his eyes and spoke.

"You _will_ call one of us every night."

Jaune nodded. There was nothing he could say that would assuage the worry she felt, apart from him doing his part to not leave their hearts in turmoil.

His father was next, and in the usual paternal fashion was the stabilizing force that steeled him for what was to come. His apologies were cut short as his father simply hugged him before passing him on to his mother.

He had never seen his mother in her battle regalia. She wasn't fully armed even now – only her sword was on her hip – but if she looked as terrifying and as valkyriesque now he shuddered to imagine what she might look like in her full ensemble. As he approached her she dislodged her sword and held it up.

"This is Crocea Mors. None of your sisters ever took a liking to my style so I never had an opportunity to pass this on to someone else, and I wish it had stayed that way."

She sighed, took a deep breath and refocused her eyes on his before handing it to him.

"I know your fighting style may evolve differently, or you may want a different weapon but for your initial training this should be enough."

With that she stepped back, the mask on her face impassive. Jaune didn't care however, embracing her fiercely and whispering into her ear.

"You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you. I promise I won't let you down."

"I know. Call me every night Jaune. If you ever need anything, know that each of us is there for you. A huntress is at her strongest in a team, remember that."

With that their arms untangled themselves and he moved towards the car, pretending he didn't see the minute drops of moisture in his mother's eye.

The blonde woman followed him into the car as he seated himself in the back. As they moved out of the driveway he couldn't help but steal glances back at the home he had thought he would live in for the rest of his life. They stayed out, eventually a few of them even waved, but they all stayed looking at him go. He knew even after he would have turned the bend they would have stayed there still, watching phantom cars carry phantom brothers to phantom new lives. Despite how bitter it was, he couldn't believe the happiness he was feeling. Unbidden a verse came to his mind. The author was probably dead, but in that moment Jaune felt closer to her than anyone before.

 _I craved to go beyond the garden gate, to follow the road that passed it by, and to set out for the Unknown._

 **Fair warning, I'm a sappy writer and I usually hate leaving vital characters unfleshed so if you read a lot of someone that seems insignificant, they usually will have a part to play in the future. Now, I can't express how grateful I am for the support, the follows, the favourites, and the reviews you guys have been leaving. That said, I'd like to ask a favor. I have two new fics that I'm thinking of writing along with Pity the plight of young fellows. Their synopses are as follows:**

 **1\. Black Snow : In a distant, distant universe many quintillion permutations away, Weiss Schnee was born with a twin brother, Schwarz Schnee. That wouldn't be that radical except her twin brother also remembered his past life on Earth (I told you it was quite a few permutations). Now how will Weiss turn out when her only familial support is not from Winter? How will Schwarz cope with life in a different universe? Will the gears of fate be stopped or will this large of a wrench be enough to thwart fate?**

 **2\. Fides, Unitas, Obsequium: It was a sunny day on the Earth defense forces base Khanjar. That is, until the entirety of the base and it's 2000 personnel were transported to a patch of dirt outside Vale on Remnant. Can man's nature be tamed or will humanity never learn?**

 **I would like your opinion on which fic I should work first. Please note that this won't mean that I stop working on pity the plight. The fact is that this fic's idea isn't completely mine and while I love working on it, I'd like to add something that I haven't really seen to the RWBY universe. So as a result, I would greatly appreciate if you could complete the following :**

strawpoll (dot here) me /14053903

 **Delete any spaces in the above link. Your feedback is much appreciated, thank you. And it goes without saying that reviews are always welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Oof"

Jaune admired the newest crack he had found in the concrete floor of the training room. It was a vivid exciting coloration of grey, filled with more grey. Before he could marvel at it further, he heard footsteps and his muscles panicked remembering the kicks he had been subjected to for the past two months whenever he heard that sound. He got up almost involuntarily, bringing his shield to bear and tightening his grip on his sword. He had gotten up in time expecting a kick, so his shield was too low to save him from the punch heading straight for the bridge of his nose. As he sailed back, he couldn't help but be reminded of the feeling he got in his stomach when he had been on a roller coaster. Oddly enough it was the same feeling he had gotten when he was asking his first crush - a brunette girl his age named Victoria – to the dance. She had laughed in his face and sent him home nearly in tears, but he remembered her coming around the next day and apologizing to him in the meekest voice he had ever -. Of course, it was somehow his sisters' doing, he just knew it. Before he could chide himself for his obliviousness, his derriere hit the ground like a frisbee to send him skipping like a tall blonde stone on a very hard and unyielding lake. He didn't even remember getting up anymore. The sequence of him getting thrown on his ass and getting up had become enough of a pattern now that his brain had stopped remembering most of it.

He looked up and for the first time he didn't see the usual drunken mask on Qrow's face. She seemed to be bored out of her mind. The huntress ran at him again. Jaune knew this would progress in one of two paths but would in all likelihood end in the same way it always dead. She would either feint a kick or a punch. He would move to defend, raising his shield higher or lower, or he would anticipate her feint. Then she would either follow through with the feint or just keep going in her original direction. Either way he had done the math. This times that equals he would be on his back. If he was there too long she would rush at him to punt him. Rinse and repeat. Everything was going pretty much as it usually did but the boredom on his face unnerved him. He knew that they all knew that this would be near impossible for him. But what would happen if Qrow told Ozpin that he would never be ready for initiation at this rate. If he told her that letting Jaune attend initiation would be a death sentence for him. He had thought of going on the offensive before, but had ruled it out because, well he was Jaune. A guy who had never even held a real sword before now. But now as he saw Qrow running at him, a stupid, idiotic plan came to his mind. The woman was ten times faster than the speed she was running at right now, Jaune knew that. He took his customary position with his shield held up, waiting to see the tell tale signs of whether she was going for a punch or a kick this time. She was 2 yards away when he jumped forwards. He knew he didn't have the precision to strike Qrow with Crocea Mors so he kept his shield in front of him as he waded through the air. Just as he thought that Qrow had anticipated his telegraphed strike he felt his shield meet something solid. It wasn't long before his shoulder crashed into the inner surface of the part-shield, part-sheathe and he heard a surprised and comical "huh?". Jaune followed the shield as it fell to the ground after crashing into the mass.

When he looked up, he let loose a snort of laughter that had the formerly confused huntresses' eyes narrowing, and his chuckles died in his throat. That last thing he saw before he went into the land of forceful slumber was Qrow's boot connecting with his skull.

When he woke up, it was dark. Not dark as in night but dark as in he was blind. Had the drunk huntress finally gone too far and killed him? Or worse, had she blinded him? Well, Jaune thought with sadistic glee, at least his family would make sure she regretted it. The lights opened and Jaune couldn't help the small yelp that escaped him as he scrunched his eyes.

"Well, it took you three months but you finally decided to adapt."

"Maybe if you had ever given me a lesson on as much as holding my sword I wouldn't have taken so long."

"I told you the first day, I'm not your teacher, I'm your savior. As in I'm going to save you from dying on the first day in Beacon. Can you imagine what that would do to the self-esteem of guys everywhere? They might just all get depressed and stay home all day. And that would not bode very well for me, or the other huntresses. Risking your life every day can give you quite a _ravenous_ appetite in a lot of different respects."

"Did you forget I have seven huntress sisters? I do not need to hear that."

"I'm doing it for them too. Well, them and me. Now get up. Your aura's back to full and I know you don't have a concussion. I'd have killed myself from the hangovers long ago if aura didn't stop those."

Jaune shielded his eyes from the glare and got out of the bed. Crocea Mors was in its sheath and he was feeling as good as he did an hour earlier before they had started 'survival training'. Qrow was waiting for him in their makeshift training ring. Ozpin had been gracious enough to lend them a spacious apartment in Vale. He had been stoked to see how well furnished it was before he learned that he was to move everything except the two beds out. Now all that was left was 2700 square feet of concrete interrupted by two beds and a suitcase he had his clothes and toiletries in.

"Since you finally got it through your thick skull that you are supposed to not keep to an unsuccessful strategy, it is time to work on your weapon."

"What, you want me to swing my sword at a dummy the whole day?"

Qrow didn't answer except for a grin before she reached behind her to draw her weapon. Jaune closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the first strike coming. It usually made dealing with the pain easier.

 _Eight months later_

He had only ever seen her armed with Crocea Mors on her hip when she had been about to hand it to him, but now as he looked at his mother, he couldn't help a shudder. Years of motherhood had definitely not stripped her of the lethal aura every huntress exuded. Now as he saw her clad in her leather breastplate and hardened trousers, Jaune felt despair starting to claw at him. She had arrived that morning without telling him in advance. He had still been groggy from sleep when she flipped his bed over to send him sprawling on the concrete floor.

"Get up."

"Mom? What's goin on? Wha happ-"

It was a testament to Qrow's penchant for kicking him when he was down that he was able to avoid the sword his mother had been aiming at his prone form. He came to rest besides Crocea Mors, before he grabbed the sword and sheath and moved again to dodge a blow that cleaved through the mattress of his bed.

"I said get up. It's time for you to prove yourself Jaune."

He used the brief reprieve in his mother's assault on him to stand and expand his sheath into a shield.

"A hello would have been nice, you know."

His ever loving mother responded with a strike straight towards his neck that he deflected with the top of his shield. Before he could counter attack she pushed her shoulder into his shield, catching him unawares and pushing him back. He was able to stop himself from falling back by using his sword as a cane. There was little rest for him however as his mother was already pressing the attack while he had been stumbling backwards, and he saw a booted foot rush towards his shield to push him back further. Jaune grunted as his back met the wall, and he lowered his shield momentarily. Violetta had not lost so much as a step however, she instinctually spotted the opportunity and went in for the kill. She thrust her sword towards her son's throat but before it could connect Jaune ducked and forced his shield into her chest. While she moved to right herself Jaune circled away from the wall.

"Mom, why does it seem like you're trying to kill me?"

His mother's eyes darkened as she stepped forwards once again. She struck at his legs, forcing him to lower his shield and when he did she grabbed hold of it. While it was true that if all things had been equal Jaune would have been significantly stronger physically than his middle aged mother but as things stood at the moment she ripped the shield from his hands and Jaune had to let go lest his left hand get caught in the handle and be torn away.

"You think I'm trying to kill you right now? I'm giving you a glimpse of how outmatched you will be. You've killed Grimm with Qrow watching over you so you think you're ready. What will you do when you're alone, surrounded by dozens of them. This isn't a movie Jaune. They won't wait and run at you one by one. They won't wait for you to deal with one of them before another attacks. They will pile up on you, their jaws snapping at your flesh in an effort to get a hold. And when they do, they won't let go."

She punctuated her last word with an overhead strike that Jaune had to use both hands to block. His sword strained against the force, the sharp edge stalking ever closer to his face. Contrary to popular belief, you couldn't just grunt and force your opponent back in such a situation. He had tried that. The edge was about to cut through his skin when he remembered one of Qrow's most invaluable lessons. There's no such thing as a fair fight. Jaune lifted his knee, ramming it straight into his mother's groin. The action didn't as much as hurt his mother as surprise her but it was enough. The pressure on him relaxed for a second and he used the reprieve to jump out from under the maternal guillotine.

Before he could dwell on what he had done his mother's surprise was burned away by the frighteningly arctic look that she had worn since she had woken him up. He didn't even have time to bring his sword up as he saw his mother disappear from in front of him. The next thing he felt was a bludgeon to the back of his head that sent him nearly ten feet into a cartwheel. He saw his aura flare again to signal his defeat, but he would not let it be over like this. Rising to his feet, he retook his position – shield held in front of him and sword by his side – and looked at his foe.

"It's over Jaune. Submit."

He didn't answer except to charge her like the boarbatusks Qrow had made him cut down.

"Stop this Jaune, you could get hurt."

Violetta easily dodged the charge but didn't dare to strike back. Her resolve was giving way now that she knew her only son was as vulnerable as he was less than a year ago. The stupid boy didn't know when to give up, charging her as mindlessly as the boarbatusks he was emulating now. No longer was there any tactic to his movements, his mind completely blank except for a hot rage in his eyes. Violetta saw him collide with a wall as she dodged yet again, but she didn't miss the telltale sound of a breaking nose. His momentum had been too much to arrest and he couldn't stop himself from colliding with the wall face first. Her eyes narrowed, Violetta didn't move the next time he got up. Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird when she saw his bloody nose but her brain helped steel her for what she had to do to put an end to this. As soon as he got close enough she dodged his unwieldy sword and stepped into his guard, using his own momentum to flip him over. Before he could get up again she kicked away his sword from him. Jaune would have risen regardless but he felt something unseen stopping him from moving his hands or feet at all.

"Thank you Rose. Qrow, is this what you've been teaching him? To pick fights he can never win?"

He could hear the usually careless voice of the huntress take on a serious tone he had heard only once before.

"You saw him fight you, and you've seen the vids I sent of him fighting Grimm. He'll be the runt of the new litter but he won't be completely defenseless. And can you imagine any reason why he would suddenly become so desperate?"

His voice rang out with a desperation he couldn't mask, and he knew his mother would just chalk that up to another reason for him not being ready.

"Mom, you ca-, can't stop me. I'm going to Beacon."

His mother's puzzlement gave him pause before she responded.

"Why did you think I wouldn't keep my end of the bargain and let you attend Beacon?"

"But, but you said. You said I needed to prove myself. I lost. "

"All of your sisters except Jen and Arya still lose to me, and the former have had lucky days as of late."

A sickly saccharine voice called out from where he knew the doorway was, and he realized it was his eldest sibling.

"Oh really mother? We'll have to test how long this streak of luck lasts me then."

His mother ignored the jab and continued.

"You were adaptive, quick on your feet and you knew to take an opportunity and do whatever you could to win. Your hardly at the level of the average Beacon initiate but you are far enough that you can at least defend yourself and make it through initiation. Though I will be having words with you over that cheap shot. That may have worked against boys but girls are quite – "

"AAAH STOP. I GET IT. JUST STOP, I'VE SUFFERED THIS TALK ONCE, I WONT DO IT AGAIN."

There was a slight uptwist as she struggled and failed to hide her amusement and Jaune felt the pressure on his limbs finally give way. He sat up to see Jennifer and Rose standing in the doorway of the apartment and he realized what had been holding him down, Rose's semblance. Grasping his mother's outstretched arm, he stood up on wooden feet that felt like they were about to give way at any moment. He turned to look at his mother and couldn't help the hoping as he asked his mother once again.

"So, I'm going to Beacon right?"

His mother looked at each of the other huntresses in the room. Qrow had gone back to drinking, Jen nodded lightly and Rose was holding both thumbs up.

"Only if you promise me this. Promise me you will never underestimate anything you come across, not because you're weak but because it'll help you survive long enough to come home to me. And please, please promise me one thing. You will do everything you can – EVERYTHING – to come back to me."

Jaune embraced her, ignoring the pain flaring through his arm. He whispered into the mane of her hair.

"I promise."

 _A month later_

His father had told him about it but he hadn't believed him. He had aura now, surely he wouldn't be affected by the curse of his male forebears? But as he knelt over the trash bin regurgitating the day's breakfast – was that what scrambled eggs looked like when it was in the stomach? – he couldn't help but whimper. His stomach had emptied yet his treacherous body still kept dry heaving from time to time. At least the nausea kept his attention away from the girls all around him who were looking at him in confusion at best and derision and disgust at worst. The closest to him was a pair of girls that seemed oddly familiar. The younger of the two was quite childlike, and was dressed in a long sleeved thick black blouse with a high collar and red trim on the sleeves, a black waist cincher with red lacing up the front, and a black skirt with red trim. Her feet were covered in thick black stockings and black combat boots. The older of the two was quite a bit taller with a yellow crop top that exposed a toned stomach. Most of her ensemble was yellow apart from her jacket, and she might have passed for an Arc on virtue of her blonde hair. He also couldn't help but notice how well developed she was compared to the younger girl but before he could stare long enough to be noticed his breakfast swore its vengeance and threatened to break free of his stomach. The sound of the chunks hitting the bottom of the near empty trash can were like a firing squad, killing any prospects he might have had with the all-female student body. AS he finally stood up, he realized quite a few of the girls were huddled together, doing their best to keep their distance from him. Before he could finish weighing the merits of jumping out of the porthole, the aircraft slowed to a stop and began descending. There was a rush of girls scrambling to get out of the vehicle, almost running over the attendant standing outside. Jaune sighed dejectedly, before grabbing his luggage and guitar.

Despite the volume of food he had regurgitated, he couldn't help but stare as he took in the massive castle. His attention was enraptured by something much closer to him however. As he walked forwards, he could make out a large marble statue depicting a woman in a victorious pose holding a very familiar sword and shield. He looked down at the inscription.

 _In memory of Cynthia Arc. Savior of countless lives from the Grimm menace who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect her team._

 _"It is not what one can do that makes them a hero. It is what they couldn't do and yet did."_

He was broken out of his reverie because by an explosion just a few steps away. The same younger girl he saw in the bullhead was being yelled at by a girl clad in white. She was extremely well off, if the numerous suitcases and articles were anything to go by, along with the butlers. The younger girl was still on the ground, and Jaune could see the irate girl in white get in a few more choice jabs that had the smaller girl looking abashedly towards the ground. Jaune felt a very uncharacteristic flash of quite an intense dislike towards the rich girl. He strode towards the girl who was still looking around for someone and put out his hand.

"Hey there. Is there a comfy spot on the ground that no one else noticed?"

The gothic themed girl looked at his hand puzzled before she took his hand and stood up.

"Thanks for that. Oh, I'm Ruby Rose by the way."

"Jaune Arc. Short, sweet and rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it."

The girl stared at him long enough to make him feel uncomfortable and just before he was about to flee, she broke down into giggles.

"That's the funniest introduction I've ever heard."

As they both set off with their luggage, Ruby couldn't help but ask.

"So, umm, not to be rude but what are you here for?"

Ozpin had asked him not to reveal details about his condition before the press conference that was scheduled when – if – he passed initiation.

"I'm just here for… my sister. Yeah, my sister. She's becoming a huntress."

"But then why are **you** here? And why do you have a sword?"

"Umm, oh yeah. My sister forgot it at home so I'm here to give it to her."

Ruby didn't seem like she could fathom a huntress that would forget her own weapon but before she could process this heresy - no _blasphemy_ \- both of them realized their surroundings had become very quiet, without the constant hustle and ruckus that accompanied students of almost any age.

"Wait, are you sure this is the way to orientation?" asked Jaune.

"WHAT? But I was following you!" little red ruby replied.

Both of them looked at each other, mortified at the prospect of being late on their very first day before they broke into a sprint.

Orientation was almost ending by the time they reached the mass of assembled bodies, and Ruby called out something about meeting up with her sister before she left Jaune, moving away in a flash of, _rose petals?_ Turning his attention towards the stage, he noticed the departure of Professor Ozpin and what appeared to be a senior teacher with a very severe expression. Any further observation was snuffed out by the feeling of hands around him that pulled the hood of his own hoodie over his head. Jaune's mind ran through multiple scenarios. Had the council of Vale learned about him? Or did Atlas intercept their communications and send spies to kidnap him? His instincts had been honed through trial by Qrow, and his elbow found something solid as he swung it back, even as he was withdrawing his own sword. He had almost drawn it fully before he felt his legs unceremoniously kicked out from underneath him, and he hit the concrete floor with an unenviable thud. The fall may have been serious if he hadn't had aura but there were still the assailant(s) for him to worry about. He felt himself free for the moment, and freed his head from his woolen prison, ready to fight. He stopped when he saw the blonde mane, sapphire eyes and the shit eating grin he didn't realize he had come to miss.

"So it's true. That old huntress did teach you to fight. I half expected you to flounder around trying to get the hood off for ten minutes."

"Very funny Natalie, you made your brother look like even more of an imbecile in front of his future classmates. Happy now?"

Looking around he felt relief flood into him as most of hall was nearly empty, the other students having left long before.

"You know if anyone calls you an imbecile they're dead right? All you need to do is tell me and I'll handle them."

Instantly the memory of the girl who had insulted him when he had asked her out came to his mind. It had been cathartic to see the mighty brought low but it had been significantly less satisfying when any girl he walked up to after that ran away from him in terror after meekly – but respectfully – rejecting him.

"NO. You do not interfere Natalie. I'm serious, just let me do this on my own."

"C'mon, you think I'm gonna let my baby brother be bullied? The rest of the hags would never let me live it down."

"I see you interfere and I might just show everyone the pictures we took on the day of your 13th birthday."

"I will end you Jaune Arc, and no one would be able to stop me. They're all too far away."

"Perhaps, but not before I send the pictures out."

"Fine. Since when did you grow a backbone? Anyway Ozpin asked me to bring you to your room for the night. Initiation is tomorrow and usually the girls sleep all together in the same hall. Get your mind out of the gutter, princess. Teenage boys, ugh. The girls usually sleep together but Ozpin wants to keep you a secret till you pass initiation so you get your own room. Someone will bring your stuff up."

"Lead the way dear sister o mine."

Natalie just rolled her eyes – that staple of adolescents everywhere – before leading him to a room in one of the faculty wings. The journey had become silent and awkward, with Jaune's attempt at conversation being smothered by Natalie's unease and tension. As they reached the room and Jaune moved to check in, he was smothered for the second time of the day in a vicious hug.

"Promise me you'll come back to us? I don't care if you fail initiation, none of us do Jaune, as long as you're alive."

Jaune felt for his sister, he really did but he still couldn't stop the flare of irritation that accompanied her words. He wasn't selfish enough to snap at someone for worrying about him however, so smoothing out his face he nodded back at his anxious elder sibling.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to it then. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. You better meet me first thing when you're back alright?"

By the time his sister had departed it was evening, and the sun was setting. He would have thought himself too excited for sleep but the motion sickness had taken a lot out of him and so had the aimless wandering around Beacon's massive campus. Before he knew it, Jaune Arc was drifting off to sleep. He didn't dream that night. For how could you, when your dreams had finally a chance of becoming reality?

 **Sorry for the delay, I had my university convocation and meeting up with old friends took up a chunk of my time. Now hold your pitchforks and listen while I say the rest please. This story will be delayed for about a week most probably while I work on the other story I mentioned, Fides, Unitas, Obsequium. The strawpoll didn't really get much response which was disheartening but before anyone accuses me of ignoring the results, one of the votes was my own as I tested whether it worked or not. You can probably see this story in the next few days as I'll start working on it today, and if you want a summary it's this.**

 **Fides, Unitas, Obsequium: It was a sunny day on the Earth defense forces base Khanjar. That is, until the entirety of the base and it's 2000 personnel were transported to a patch of dirt outside Vale on Remnant. Can man's nature be tamed or will humanity never learn?**

 **If you want to be notified when the story comes out you can follow my profile. As always, please review, and thank you for the support. I don't know if it's good or not but I'm ecstatic with how many followers I've gotten. Ciao.**


	5. Chapter 5

He had been awake when Ms. Goodwitch had knocked on his door. The nausea was what had woken him up, and he had been standing over the bathroom sink for the past hour or so, waiting for his previous meal to make an appearance. After a few minutes his anxiety was replaced by anger at his body for being as indecisive as him. How come even his stomach was conflicted? He heard a knock on the door but before he could answer it was open.

"Mister Arc, are you awake?"

Quickly wiping his mouth and drying his face, he stepped out of the bathroom. He had had minimal contact with the stoic and imposing deputy of Beacon since the time he had left Vicus and he had been handed off into Qrow's "care". The distance had done nothing to dull the pangs of discomfort he felt when she looked at him in her usual – at least he hoped it was – severe way.

"Retrieve anything you feel you will need for initiation and follow me."

Her tone brooked no argument, and Jaune's nausea wisely retreated as he moved to collect Crocea Mors and his armor and followed the tall woman.

The halls were eerily quiet, the sound only broken by the sound of Ms. Goodwitch's heels impacting the floor. Jaune had to adopt a longer stride to keep up with her, and seeking to break the tension, he blurted out

"Thank you for waking me." Great, now the deputy thought him to be some sort of moron, and that was before he would undoubtedly make a fool of himself in initiation.

"You were awake when I arrived" was the only answer he got, and the chill in her tone made him wince as he sighed quietly and fell back into place behind her.

Thankfully they did not have to walk much further, and as they left the school building and moved into a clearing he could start to hear the low but growing din of the crowd. There were dozens of girls lined up in front of a cliff that looked over the Emerald forest as he had known it was called. He saw Glynda leave his side in his peripheral vision and he couldn't help but stand frozen on the spot. It was time. They would probably be tested in some way, and he would have to fight Grimm to claim his spot. Or would they have them fight each other. The very thought turned his skin as close to ash as you could get, but before he could start sweating and hyperventilating he saw Ozpin's eyes meet his own. There was a small smile on her face, and she gestured him to the edge of the cliff at one of the extreme corners. Jaune shut his eyes and tried his best to push away his fears. When that didn't work he took a deep breath anyway and practically ran to the spot the headmistress had indicated. Edging closer to the cliff he could see the black pads on the ground that everyone else had occupied. Warily, he tested the pad and when it turned out to not be a mine he placed one foot then the other on top. While he was looking down at the several hundred feet fall in front of him, he noticed the two girls to his left talking. Well, one was talking _at_ the other to be more precise.

"This is wonderful, I'm sure whatever method the headmistress has devised for setting up teams would see us paired up!" the further of the two girls exclaimed.

In response his neighbor gave a non-committal weak laugh before she realized there was another person to her right. Seeing a reprieve she instantly turned towards him.

"Hello, I don't believe we've met. I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

Jaune however, was still looking down. He had spent almost a year with Qrow, which had led to a sort of second sense about when exactly he was going to get his shit pushed in again. When early on Jaune had revealed he couldn't swim, Qrow had pushed him into a pool and watched him flail, submerge into the pool, and then emerge about a dozen times. Qrow seemed to be an understudy or protégé of Ozpin, and he was very, very afraid he knew exactly what was about to happen. A voice rang out behind him.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors and huntresses. Enduring great hardship, you have made it here but now your skills shall be tested in the emerald forest."

There was barely a tree rustling or a leaf sliding on the cliff, such was the rapt attention the silver haired headmistress commanded.

"Now I am sure many of you have been puzzling over the assignment of teams. Well, let me tell you that your teams will be assigned today. Furthermore, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

That got a reaction, and the awed silence was broken by a familiar wail followed by frenzied murmuring that grew into outright yelling. Jaune looked to his left to see the reaction of those beside him, only to make eye contact with his immediate neighbor. Neither of them could hear Glynda's command silence their merry band; both of them stared at each other. Pyrrha looking at his face, then his body, trying to make sure she wasn't being egregiously rude towards a fellow girl that happened to have a masculine aesthetic, while Jaune racked his brain trying to remember where he had seen her.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path. Or you will die.

You will be graded throughout your initiation but our instructors will not intervene. At the end of the path is an abandoned temple with several relics. Each pair should take one relic and return to the top of the cliff. Now if there are no further questions, let us begin."

Jaune had barely heard the latter part of the headmistress's speech but his attention was jolted as he saw the girls behind Pyrrha being launched off the platform and into the forest.

"So, is this the part where you hand out parachutes?" he asked, turning towards Ozpin. He could also hear a gasp emanate from the redheaded warrior next to him.

"No, you will be devising your own landing strategy" the headmistress answered, and he could have sword she sipped from her mug to hide her smirk. She was ten times worse than Qrow.

The girl next to him – Pyrrha – turned to yell out towards the headmistress but before she could was launched into the forest. Jaune looked forward – _not down –_ and breathed in. Before he could breathe out, steel himself and reopen his eyes, the platform extended to send him sprawling through the air. If Pyrrha had heard his scream, she would have been very confused about how a relatively masculine voice such as his could have gone up quite a few octaves into distinctly 'little girl' territory.

Pyrrha considered herself a very composed combatant. She was a multiple time Mistral champion that had graced the covers of many publications – and a cereal box – but she was most definitely in a slight panic at the moment. Some idiot _boy_ had somehow fooled the Beacon faculty into letting him attempt the initiation. She had been in the air for only a few moments before she used her semblance to right herself and look behind her to spot the flailing male. He had procured a shield from someplace and was attempting to bring it to bear, possibly to use it to cushion his fall. She knew it wouldn't matter. Without aura even his trip through the trees would maim him irreparably. She felt an uncharacteristic anger at the foolishness of the boy. What was he thinking? But before she could dwell on the stupidity, her irritation was smothered almost instantly by how selfish she felt thinking about how her initiation was going to be affected when there was a life on the line.

As soon as she landed, her eyes were tracking the boys flight that had somewhat stabilized as he descended from his arc. He had placed the shield below him now and he was relatively stable as he made his way into the canopy. If he had had no shield she was confident she could have hooked him to a tree with her spear, but as it was the shield would hinder any attempt to help arrest his momentum. His yelp as he hit the tree line would have been comical but Pyrrha was looking for the inevitable scream as he hit a branch and broke his bones or worse. However when the comical yelling stopped, she was confused. She had been racing towards his spot for a while now and she couldn't help but cover her mouth with a hand as he fell out of the foliage and right in front of her. He had not moved since he landed, and Pyrrha felt frustrated tears threatening to overflow. How could Ozpin let this happen? The boy hadn't even made any attempt to hide himself, how could he have been allowed to attend initiation? As she was musing a cough erupted out of the corpse in front of her, and Pyrrha screamed.

Jaune wanted to sleep. The flight from the cliffs to the forest floor had been very educational. He had learned how long he could scream before he needed to breathe. How many times he could crash into a tree without shattering his aura. He learned what people meant when they said their arms felt like lead, and after such an educational session he felt he deserved some rest. Then he heard the rustling of the brush as someone or something took a few steps towards him and stopped. Right, he was in the emerald forest, which happened to be filled with Grimm. Maybe it would mistake him for dead if he went to sleep? His instincts mutinied against his fatigue, and he coughed out the dust and leaves he had sampled during his journey through the trees. His eyes shot open as he heard a distinctly feminine scream not even a few feet from him. He had to hand it to Qrow, her training routine was effective enough to not hone instincts perfectly _per se_ but it was enough to make the instincts impossible to ignore. Immediately he was on his feet, Crocea Mors in his hand only to see a peculiar sight in front of him. There was a girl in front of him dressed in a slightly revealing outfit – did no one think about proper armor here? – and holding a shield and spear aloft. He turned to see the threat she was pointing at only to see nothing. When he turned back the girl was still in a combat ready position. Seeing as the two had made eye contact and were now partners for the next four years, he decided he should at least say hello.

"Hi there. I guess we're uh, we're partners now?" extending his hand he continued.

"The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sw- oh shit that hurts" his customary greeting broken by an intense bout of pain from his ribs where he had tackled a branch particularly viciously.

"How are you even alive?" the girl asked him, finally lowering her weapons minutely.

"I admit my landing strategy could have used some work but-"

"You couldn't have survived that fall. Not the way you fell, and not without aura."

"Well, new partner, that's where your wrong. Wait. Actually, you're right. I couldn't have survived that without aura. Pretty lucky I have aura then."

The girl's eyes thinned and her weapons were back up.

"Do you take me for a fool?"

Jaune sighed. He hadn't had to prove his aura to anyone since Qrow and Glynda had asked to see a demonstration. This part always sucked. Aura protected you from damage but you still felt a shadow of the pain you would have taken otherwise. He raised Crocea Mors, and the girl's eyes widened, no doubt thinking he was about to attack her. It sailed right back down and into his thigh, and Jaune couldn't help the yelp that left him. That would no doubt leave a bruise. As he was rubbing the spot to massage the pain, he saw the girl lower her weapons fully for the first time. She was staring at his thigh but his mind couldn't help but extrapolate it to make him think she had been staring at his groin. When he felt he was about to blush from the rigorous scrutiny, he coughed and extended his hand to grab her attention.

"So as I said, the name's Jaune Arc. Can't help but think that I've seen you somewhere, are you a celebrity?"

That did the trick, and she looked up finally. Shaking her head, she shook his outstretched hand and answered.

"You're saying you don't know who I am?"

Recognition hit him hard enough to make him facepalm.

"How could I have forgotten? You're the girl on Pumpkin Pete's cereal aren't you?"

The girl was taken aback, her incredulity forgotten as she broke into laughter.

"I am Pyrrha Nikos; it's nice to meet you Jaune. I've never- "

She was cut off by two Ursa emerging from the forest, their roars synchronizing to form a very loud cacophony. Jaune knew this was his chance to convince his partner, and he withdrew his sheath to transform it into a shield.

"Right one's mine, _partner_ ". And with a yelp he was off, Pyrrha's "No!" trailing behind him. The ursa were far enough apart that he did not have to worry about himself getting double teamed. His adversary unleashed a roar before charging forwards to meet him. Just before the two could collide Jaune rolled to the side, sticking out his sword to leave a large gash in the creatures flank. The massive bear Grimm did not like that one bit, and in a surprising feat of agility was able to stop quickly enough to slap away Jaune with a massive paw. He was just able to bring his shield up in time but even then the force of the backhanded slap sent him flying a few feet. He was back up before he had fully hit the ground, and was able to bring his shield up in time to block an incoming strike. He made a tiny miscalculation however. The ursa weighed at least a ton, and the force it was able to bring to bear was nothing short of herculean. His knees buckled under the overhead strike of the vicious, giant black paws and before he could reposition himself he felt his very bones shake from another cleaving strike. He fell to one knee and before he could think up a plan, the creature gave one short piteous whine before the pressure on his shield let up.

He lowered his shield to see Pyrrha retract her weapon back into spear form. Seriously what was it with huntresses and their convoluted weapons? He accepted her extended hand and stood up, but she couldn't look away quick enough to stop him from noticing her stares. He could see the light dusting of pink on her cheeks, probably from the fight no doubt.

"We should keep moving. The sound of those ursa is bound to have attracted more."

The two of them walked in silence for what seemed like an hour before Pyrrha spoke again.

"How long have you…"

"How long have I had aura?"

She struggled to accept the question, and her eyes were closed. Then, drawing a shallow breath she looked straight at him – dust, she had pretty eyes – and nodded.

"Well, I don't know the exact date but I'd say it's been almost a year."

"How did…, how did you unlock it?"

"Well, I was with my family on a picnic and I wandered off and ran into a Beowulf. It got me pretty good, and a huntress tried to unlock my aura to save me, and… it did" he smiled up at her only to see her puzzled face.

"But, that makes no sense."

"Beowulf? The huntress was there training her nieces so it might have been attracted by the sounds of the battle. It's not like we were too far inside the kingdoms."

"No, I mean why would a huntress bother trying to unlock a man's aura? It would have been much more prudent and effective to get you to a hospital."

Jaune grimaced, hoping that his new partner didn't see his discomfort.

"Well, I don't really know. But she did, and I'm here. Sorry if you were hoping to be paired up with that white haired girl, I know I'm not exactly top notch and- "

"You said you've had your aura unlocked for a year?"

"Huh? Well yeah, almost a year."

"And you started training at that time I presume?"

"A few days after, I suppose."

"Less than an year of training and you were able to stand up to an ursa. I admit, I wasn't really sure about your claims before but now I'm sure that with time you'll make an excellent huntre-, I mean huntsman Jaune."

And there it was, that damn blush he had been trying to smother got the last laugh.

The rest of the journey was spent in companionable silence, as they moved through the forest. Jaune knew he wouldn't have been nearly as unafraid if he was alone, thankful for getting a partner that seemed so much more at home at all this than him. But when the accursed temple that Ozpin had mentioned didn't appear after what seemed like hours of trekking through the undergrowth and thorns, Jaune grew restless. He was about to complain when he saw the treeline give way to what seemed like a cave. There were inscriptions of a death stalker on the mountain face that seemed very, very old.

"Well, this is interesting."

Pyrrha hummed as she moved towards the inscriptions, rubbing her hand along the wall. Jaune took the time to step into the pitch black cave, his hand along the cave wall to guide him. He had moved only a few feet when he saw two rubies light up in the distance. In the darkness their light was almost ethereal in its beauty and mystique. Before he could gaze at the hypnotizing orbs any longer, he was grabbed by the collar with incredible strength and pulled back. The massive Grimm claw that crashed into the ground before him killed any sound of complaint he was about to make, turning into a whimper that would have been comical at any other time.

"RUN, JAUNE"

He was back on his feet just in time to see the Grimm charge the cave entrance and the beady eyes quickening their pace towards him. Any hopes that the small size of the cave entrance would have saved them were squashed as rock and rubble went careening off into the forest, to reveal the largest scorpion he had ever seen. Qrow's voice finally seemed to kick in, and his legs started running more from muscle memory and fear of Qrow's punishments than anything else.

He was almost certain Pyrrha was slowing her pace down to compensate for his scatterbrained start, and he pushed his aching muscles even more. The two of them ran back into the forest, hoping the massive beast would be slowed down by the dense cover of the trees. And miraculously, it did. He could hear the beast trying to uproot the trees in its mania to get at them but the roots had had many eons to grow and grasp the earth well. When he finally looked back, the monstrosity had disappeared, merging into the darkness prevalent in the forest. Neither of them made to stop however, even when Jaune's legs had started to pain as they cramped, and his lungs were burning. His resolve was renewed when he saw an inkling of a clearing up ahead that seemed to contain the ruins they had been searching for. With a mighty heave he crashed out of the forest, and fell straight down. Even the mere act of breathing was painful for him, and he felt like he would never be able to move without puking his guts out again.

Jaune had emerged into the clearing just a few moments after herself, plopping down to the floor rather ungracefully. Pyrrha couldn't help a chuckle as she saw the ruins before her. Their flight from the deathstalker had inadvertently led them to their goal. And they weren't the only one there.

"I'm. Fine. Just. Need. To. Rest. A. Bit." He panted out, his voice muffled by the ground. Leaving her obviously winded partner – and wouldn't that be something she'll have to get used to – to recuperate, she moved on ahead to meet the other pair, one blonde and one with black hair with a bow on top.

"Hello there, I'm Py-"

"Pyrrha Nikos, we know. You're kinda famous if you don't know already" the blonde teased, but Pyrrha couldn't help but smile at the good natured way she did it.

"I'm Yang Xiao Long, and this here's my partner, Blake Belladonna." The black haired girl nodded with a small smile.

"Sheesh, your partner looks like she could use some cardio."

Pyrrha looked back, and only just stopped herself from correcting her. On one hand, Jaune wouldn't really be able to keep his masculinity hidden. He wasn't exactly androgynous with his broad shoulders and developed arms and strong-, wait why was she blushing? Intrusive thoughts aside, she didn't exactly want to put her partner on the spot either, so she decided to let him explain himself how he saw fit.

"Yeah, they're a bit new to the whole hunting thing."

"Looks like she's getting up at least, and sh-" the black haired girl, Blake stopped talking, her eyes wide.

"What is this? It's a guy! What's he doing in the emerald forest?"

Yang's expression was confused, flitting between the two girls before Jaune walked close enough that there was no mistaking him for the fairer sex. Instantly Yang was in front of him.

"Hey! I know you! You're vomit boy. You are so lucky you didn't get any of that filth on me while we were in the bullhead. Speaking of, this isn't really the place to get lost. There's grimm everywhere around here."

Pyrrha saw Jaune shrink under Yang's suspicious gaze, and saw her partner look at her for help deflecting the barrage of questions that Yang threw at him. But Pyrrha was facing an investigation of her own from Blake.

"You said that he was your partner Pyrrha. I don't understand why you'd do that." Thankfully for Jaune, he was given a reprieve as Yang turned about to bear on her now.

"Wait, yeah. I almost forgot about this. How come you never mentioned you had to rescue a guy in the forest? Seriously, I hope Ozpin gives us some extra credit for bringing back this damsel."

Before she could reply, Jaune spoke up.

"If you would allow me to speak, my name is Jaune Arc. And I'm not really a damsel. Well, Pyrrha did rescue me but you can ask her. She'll tell you I was doing ok before that!"

The face Yang made was so pitying that Pyrrha couldn't help but grow annoyed with the blonde.

"Look, I can understand how awful it must feel to not be able to protect yourself because of your sex, but trust me nothing good can come of playing pretend."

Jaune had stilled, and Pyrrha felt she should defuse the tension to prevent anything untoward but stopped as she saw his lips twitch upwards.

"Well I guess you're right. I can't use aura cos I'm a guy, so I'll always be weaker than you lot."

Yang actually seemed remorseful and hurried to reassure him.

"Hey, it doesn't mean you're useless, you can do anything you want. Except this."

Jaune's lips twitched again, and he seemed to be having difficulty suppressing his emotions.

"No you're right; I'm not cut out for this life. Which is why I'm going to END IT!"

He had been holding his sword steady by his side and before any of the girls could register what he said, or even express shock, he raised it and drew it back down into his abdomen. Even though he was moving dreadfully slowly, none of the two girls were prepared for his actions and were frozen in place, looking upon him mutely. Pyrrha had to admire his acting, and she would have joined the chorus of "NO's" that emanated from the two girls had she not been laughing so hard. They were both standing with their jaws open, looking down at his stomach as if they were expecting the blood to start flowing any minute now. Blake was the one who unfroze first, moving forwards to touch his abdomen. Seeing Jaune blush, Pyrrha was about to say something to help her partner out when the black haired girl stepped back.

"You have… aura."


	6. Chapter 6

"YEEHAW"

The sound of trees being uprooted and massive footsteps was what finally rocked Blake and Yang out of their intense staring contest with Jaune's torso. The prospective hunters had barely looked up before a massive Ursa came bounding out of the forest, knocking aside trees like blades of grass. It was a testament to the difference in their training that the three huntresses were in their combat stances before he was even able to bring up Crocea Mors to face the massive bear Grimm. The creature reared up but instead of the ear splitting roar he was expecting, emitted a pathetic whine before falling flat on its chest to reveal a petite ginger girl in a pink and white dress. The girl seemed genuinely upset as she disembarked the Ursa – and wasn't that something he never expected to see – before exclaiming in a tone one usually reserves for dear pets and not seven foot tall creatures of darkness.

"Aww, it broke."

"NORA"

There was another feminine shout from behind her, and the look on the ginger's face couldn't help but remind him of a sheepish toddler caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The Grimm matador was instantly back at her partners side as the two moved out of the forest to come before the rest of them. Apparently unable to wait any longer the rambunctious girl once again raced forward to stand in their faces before introducing her partner and herself.

"Hi there! I'm Nora Valkyrie and this here's Lie Rin! And –"

Jaune wondered what would happen if the girl stood still for much longer. He didn't think forces of nature such as her were supposed to stand still with their mouths open. Her unfortunate partner reached them winded and panting, bending down to take a much needed breath. The exhausted girl was wearing a green tailcoat with her black hair tied back into a ponytail and her black mane interrupted by a small lock of pink hair. Jaune's attention was forced back towards the ginger girl who was now practically breathing on top of him. When she spoke next, he was certain that he could actually feel his aura protecting him from her verbal lashing.

"What are you doing here mister? You shouldn't be anywhere near the emerald forest if you have no aura. Wait, you are a boy right? I mean I totally don't mind if you like dressing up as a boy. I mean even I feel like doing it when I see all the pockets they have. What is it with the pockets we get being like barely an inch deep? Sometimes I think I should wear guy pants so I can carry more grenades. Oooh and I could even have more room for sloth food. I was just talking to Rin ab-"

"Nora, I don't think that's a girl" the rather demure girl spoke, stopping the zestful destructive chipmunk in its tracks. Sweeping a critical eye over the rest of the girls around him, Jaune saw her spot the temple ruins and sigh in relief.

"Well at least we're almost done with initiation. We can just take the relics, group up and escort, umm-? "

Rin looked at him questioningly, and Jaune realized with a start she was asking his name.

"Oh, hi there. Name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, and the ladies love it."

There was absolute silence around him, every single one of the girls looking at him with expressions varying from amusement to embarrassment. Jaune couldn't help but think his father may have left something out when imparting his advice of 'all you need is confidence'. But then again, he had managed to snag the most celebrated huntress of her generation; maybe Jaune was just doing something wrong? The hush was blown away by the blonde stepping forwards, her hands cocking the massive bracelets she wore which Jaune assumed was her weapon with a flourish. Jaune only had time enough to watch her aim at his feet before he was on the ground yelping. His hands were furiously massaging his feet that stung like he had kicked the corner of a table purposely ten times. He looked up to see the black haired girl, Rin standing over him and facing Yang while Nora was on her knees besides him.

Rin spoke, and Jaune was startled to find no trace of the mild and taciturn girl from before.

"Stay back. What is wrong with you?!"

Yang answered distractedly, barely appreciating the threat in front of her.

"So it is true..."

It wasn't until Rin brandished her weapons that Yang looked up to finally see Rin looking at her with malice in her eyes if she stepped closer and realized why the situation was so tense all of a sudden.

"He has aura", before Rin could scoff in disbelief, Yang pushed on "I've never shot at someone without aura before, but I've watched enough movies to know there would at least be some blood on the sand if he didn't have it."

Nora was staring at his foot, her countenance laced with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment.

"Rin, Rin, RIN! She's right. He's not bleeding."

The quiet girl chanced her eyes off Yang to look back at him, her brows furrowed as she inspected his foot. Crouching down she ran her hand through the grass, feeling for the crimson ichor she was expecting. When her fingers didn't come out red or wet, she clenched Nora's wrists to pull the both of them up before staring at his sitting form.

"Explain".

Jaune tried moving his toes, expecting another flare of agony only to be met with a numb discomfort. Right, aura. He stood up, dusting his pants leg off while checking his bottom for any grass or dirt. He looked up to find five very interested – and beautiful – young women looking at him questioningly. He wasn't very suave by any means, and would have blushed hard enough to burst a blood vessel when faced with the interest of so many gorgeous young women. But at the moment all he felt was a growing unease. Unease at the way Rin was regarding him coolly, Blake looking at him suspiciously, and Nora looking at him, happily? At least Yang only seemed mildly interested; looking at him only curiously with a carefree smile on her visage. But it was Pyrrha's gentle smile and overall supporting demeanor that lent him the courage to begin speaking.

"It was abou-"

"AAAH"

"OH COME ON" Yang threw down her hands. Her manner changed instantly from frustration to panic when she saw the red blur racing to the ground.

"Ruby! Hold on!"

With a curl, her bracelets extended and she fired a burst from both of them before leaping; the recoil from the shotgun-esque weapon greatly enhancing her speed and range.

It wasn't enough however, and as Jaune watched her rocket into the treeline he was tempted to close his eyes. The green of the foreboding forest drowned red as they lost sight of her, only for all of them to simultaneously duck upon seeing a massive crimson bullet fire towards them. When they got back up, the ground looked like it had been plowed; a large ridge appearing and ending with a massive scythe sticking out from one end with a proud Ruby Rose on top.

Before any greetings could be exchanged a shrill, yet still regal voice called out from the sky.

"HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME"

Jaune looked up to see the white clad girl he had seen berating Ruby hanging from the claw of a massive screeching Nevermore a few hundred feet in the sky. With a shrill cry the Nevermore twitched its talons, managing to dislodge the snowy parasite. Jaune moved without thinking, lining up below the falling girl with his arms outstretched. Alright, don't lock the knees and keep your arms firm. After that it's just a matter of-

"Oof" he croaked as he was unceremoniously shoved out of the way. His eyes wandered back to his position just in time to see Ruby and Weiss fall flat on their backs, the older girl too large for the reaper to catch cleanly. The two of them get up with groans, but before Weiss could unleash her fury on her treacherous partner the smaller girl rounded on him.

"Jaune! What do you think you're doing?! You could have died if she had fallen on you!"

The white girl's eyes narrowed into slits, and her voice was cold enough to chill fire.

"Are you saying I'm fat, Ruby Rose?"

The red reaper looked back with surprise.

"What? No, n-no! Weiss, he's a guy! That's why I pushed him out of the way, or else he'd have been hurt."

The heiress' retort died in her throat, as she looked at him. Before Weiss could begin her own line of questioning Yang was besides him.

"Enough! He has aura, see."

And with that she shot his other foot. As his eyes watered from the pain he couldn't help but think on what had he done to be so popular with women? Holding in his whimpers, he inspected his agonized foot with Ruby and Weiss looking down at his – apparently, though only Jaune knew the truth – uninjured limb with shock. Any further questions were shelved as a rumble that he had pushed to the back of his mind grew ever more prominent before he could clearly hear trees being uprooted in the forest. He was wondering where his massive death scorpion friend had wandered off to. The deathstalker roared a greeting Jaune could only return with a shrill – and very manly – yell. As the giant nevermore that had dropped Weiss circled around and squawked its own terrifying challenge, Jaune couldn't help but wonder if his semblance was being a punching bag for the greatest cosmic asshole that ever existed.

Ozpin didn't think she had ever met a larger collection of narcissists, sycophants, and general human waste. But she knew this wasn't even the entirety of the Vale media circuit. All of the big players were here; she hadn't been a part of a press conference since her ascension to headmaster. Professor Ozpin calling a press conference was a once in a career event, and anyone who was anyone had managed to bully and shove their way into the front row seats. Yet she couldn't help the mild shock she felt from behind the curtain upon seeing the gaggle of professionals gossiping worse than some of her students. Jaune looked through the gap in the curtains before sliding back into the darkness and closing his eyes. Ozpin tried to imagine what she might have felt in the boy's place. The uncertainty, the weight of the expectations that came with being male, not to mention the weight of the pressures from being Violetta's son; it was near unimaginable for her, and wasn't that a surprise.

"Mister Arc. You passed your initiation splendidly; your place at Beacon is not in question."

"I mostly just told the rest what to do. I thought, I thought I was ready for this, but I don't think I am headmistress."

"Why do you feel that?"

"I was afraid. While Ruby was leading from the front I mostly just dodged and told Pyrrha Rin and Nora what to do."

Ozpin looked into the dejected boy's sapphire orbs for a few seconds before she spoke again.

"Do you know what the path to becoming a huntress entails?"

"Huh? Yeah, I guess. Seven huntress sisters remember?"

"I know that, but I doubt they told you what they have to go through". Ozpin adjusted her glasses before continuing, the boy's attention focused on her.

"In the preparatory academies, the day starts at dawn. The distance varies across academies, but huntresses begin the day by running anywhere from three to five miles at full speed. Following which is their daily 'physical education' but is actually a way for their instructors to vent their frustrations at having to wake so early. The day is interlaced with classes and exercise that puts anything you've done till now to absolute, shattering shame."

Jaune was looking down; his shoulders slumped as his breathing became slow.

"Which is why I was so impressed when I saw how proficiently you were able to face the ursa. My surprise was magnified when I saw your adaptiveness – no offense – in fighting the deathstalker. You had met Miss Nikos, Valkyrie and Rin for barely five minutes, and yet you knew how best to utilize their unique talent sets. No, Mister Arc. If anyone passed the initiation with flying colors, it was you and Miss Rose. Now, I know my words won't really be very impactful."

Jaune looked up instantly to refute her but she held up a hand before continuing.

"If only imparting confidence was as easy as telling someone they were good" Ozpin stared into nothing with a wistful look; remembering mistakes and lost opportunities before she smiled at the boy again.

"Now, I am going to step out there to introduce you. You won't really have to speak at all, only to stand there while I tell them about your situation."

Jaune visibly relaxed, if only slightly.

"Thank God, I thought I'd have to speak. But, um pro-, headmistress? How will you prove to them that I have aura?"

Ozpin could see the tension returning to his frame before she smiled and responded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing as drastic as shooting at you, worry not. Now then. I'm going to step out, and I would much prefer _not_ to be embarrassed in my first press conference. It may not look like it, but I _am_ somewhat nervous."

Violetta hated reporters. The months after she had announced her premature retirement were filled with paparazzi hounding her and Anthony's steps. Some of the vultures had even tried to dig into his past, and had used his history of arrests at protests to try to paint him as some sort of hoodlum. Whether it was for profit from controversy or on the orders of some higher power was never revealed. But it had led her down a very dark path that only Anthony's support had helped her overcome.

The brush with the abyss of her own morality had been enough for her to take precautions so that she never faced the same horrifyingly satisfying temptations again. She was wearing a wig with comically oversized glasses and wearing a demure overcoat as she sat in the back. Most of the vultures of her time were still there, but she brushed them off with much practiced ease. Today was the day the world met her son. Anthony squeezed her leg in comfort, and she released her arms she didn't realize she had been holding taut. He was there as much for her as for Jaune; insults to her person she had ease with ignoring, but she didn't trust herself in the least when the same applied to her children. Ozpin stepped out from behind the curtain, and the room quieted down; the reporters waiting for the reclusive headmistress to begin.

"I am here today to share with the world a profound discovery. One that may upend the entirety of our understanding of aura and its place in our lives."

There were a few murmurs when she paused for effect, but her technique had worked. They were hooked.

"Imagine if you will, a child of barely sixteen years. The child was on a trip to one of the forests on the borders of our kingdom with Atlas, considering themselves as safe as you feel right now. They had one of the best huntresses to ever live besides them, after all. Now, I apologize, but imagine a Beowulf appearing in front of you, with none of your protectors near you."

Violetta's hands clenched. Jaune had told her he had jogged away from them to try to think in peace. He had told her it wasn't her fault that she wasn't near him. But he wasn't a parent.

"The Beowulf gored the adolescent viciously, but was killed by another huntress who happened to be nearby. The huntress saw the child near death and in a desperate move, unlocked their aura."

The silence this time was not one of interest but of confusion and derision. It was common for people that had been injured gravely to have their auras unlocked at the final hour.

"Now, I want you to hold your questions until I ask for them."

Ozpin gestured through the hole in the curtains, and Violetta's heart skipped a beat when she saw the familiar blonde mop of hair she loved so much stepped out.

"Instead of just any girl, I want you to imagine this boy in that very position."

There was silence in the room, before a woman near the front inhaled loudly.

"He has aura?"

Those three words were all it took to break the dam, and Violetta felt her hand twitch towards her non-existent sword. The questions merged together, like a massive wave of pointed questions and inquiries hoping to make their way through the dam that was Ozpin's impassive demeanor. She spoke then, her mic volume loud enough to drown out even the most vocal of the questioners.

"This is Jaune Arc. As of a year ago, he has had his aura unlocked, and has been training under the tutelage of one of my own trusted huntresses. Mister Arc took part in the Beacon academy initiation exam yesterday, and passed with flying colors. Subsequently, he will be studying at Beacon for the next four years."

"How do we know he has aura?" one of the journalists managed to sneak in during a lull in Ozpin's speech.

Ozpin smiled and held out a hand for Jaune to grasp. Violetta saw her son gingerly place his palm in Ozpin's before the headmistress closed her eyes. Almost immediately, there was a white, nearly blinding glow that covered the entirety of his body. It lasted for merely a few seconds before Ozpin let go, leaving Jaune somewhat dazed.

"Now, I believe Mister Arc's role in this conference is over. I also remember specifically asking you all to wait for me to ask for questions. Since you failed something children learn so early in their lives, I'm afraid I must end this press conference here. Thank you for coming."

The indignant squawks were music to Violetta's ears and she couldn't help the schadenfreude she felt. Some of the reporters stayed to yell questions at the curtains after Ozpin and Jaune left, but the rest quickly moved out; no doubt eager to record their bit for the breaking news that would no doubt be already broadcasting around the world.

Usually, students moved to their dorm almost instantly after their teams were formed. Yet the rest of the students had been told they were to spend another night in the great hall before their teams were announced. Jaune wondered if it was because of him, then felt the urge to slap himself. Hard. He was following Miss Goodwitch through the corridors, and he suppressed the urge to return to Ozpin's office to thank her for not making him speak. He had gained a newfound appreciation for what fear meant when he had stood facing dozens of reporters that looked like they wanted to do nothing more than feed him their mics. His steps wavered a bit as he realized they weren't heading to the small apartment he had spent the night in.

"Miss Goodwitch, I just wanted to ask. Where are we, heading, exactly?"

The woman didn't look back to respond, her voice as stern as he had ever heard her.

"We are heading to the great hall where you will spend the night."

"Right, right. I see. So are the rest of the first years already in rooms, or…"

"They are not."

"Ah, okay. So the thing I wanted to ask is-"

"You will be sleeping in the great hall tonight Mister Arc. With the rest of the first year students."

Jaune squeezed his eyes shut, but didn't dare stop walking. He had had an inkling something was off as soon as they had veered off course from his room, but he hadn't expected it to be that bad. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and opened his eyes to tell Miss Goodwitch he didn't really need to sleep anyway before the woman stopped abruptly in front of him.

"There will be free bedrolls on the floor, since many of the students did not pass initiation. Do not worry, they didn't die. Now, I should remind you that you are going to be in a room with a large number of future huntresses who are very much stronger than you. Keep that in mind before making any decisions that are more, _base_ in nature. Your teams will be assigned to you tomorrow, and your luggage has been placed next to one of the bedrolls."

With that she left him, her heels clacking on the marble floors of the hallway. He considered calling out to her, but before he could weigh the pros and cons of simply clinging to her skirt and begging to not be thrown to the lionesses she turned the corner and was gone. Jaune could hear the muted chatter coming from behind the large doors that led to the hall. He wasn't _required_ to sleep, was he? Who was to say he couldn't just stay awake the entire night? The idea was growing increasingly enticing before he felt a hand cover his mouth. He moved to free himself from the grasp but found himself overpowered and on his back on the floor. Groaning, he opened his eyes to see his thrice damned sister standing over him once again.

"You have no idea what you getting aura means for me. Before I couldn't really give you what you deserved when you started being a pest, but now it's so refreshing catching up on lost time".

The blonde girl stared ahead as if in a trance, before Jaune scoffed in disgust and got up.

"I don't have the time, Nat. I need to find a place to spend the night, and a way to get my luggage out of the hall. Actually, would you mind goi-"

"What do you mean find a place to stay the night?" his sister asked with her brows raised.

"I thought Goodwitch told you to sleep in the hall."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong dear sister. She told me this was where I was _supposed_ to sleep. Not where I _had_ to sleep. I'm just gonna go outside and spend the night-".

His sentence was cut off as Natalie slammed him into the wall. Her eyes were wild, darting everywhere as she moved closer to his ear.

"Jaune, you never, ever disobey Goodwitch. That's the one rule here. You could probably get away with calling Ozpin an uppity bitch with cobwebs in her vagina but if there's one thing that will make you regret being born is disobeying Goodwitch. The woman does not mess around"

Jaune saw his sister's eyes glaze over, and he pushed her off.

"Fine, fine. Sheesh, you'd think I was suggesting I was going to ask her out. Anyway, I guess I'd change into my onesie then. The quicker I get to sleep, the easier it will be for me to forget the pangs of hunger. Haven't had anything since breakfast"

He expected Natalie to acquiesce and bring him something from her room but she surprised him yet again.

"You're wearing. Your onesie?"

"Yeah? I mean you guys were the one who gave it to me didn't you? Why wouldn't I wear it?"

Natalie's face contorted, and he could tell she was extremely conflicted about something he couldn't recognize before finally she huffed.

"You owe me so much for this Jaune. Listen to me. Don't wear the onesie. Just don't. Matter of fact, pull up the hood on your hoodie to hide your face, and run into the bathrooms. Wait, shit. Make sure you knock before entering the changing area. I'd hate to have to pummel a freshman because she beat you up. Now go in there, Goodwitch is on her way back for lights out probably. She finds me with you here and she'll crucify the both of us. And keep it in your pants little brother, I don't want to be called auntie any time soon."

Jaune didn't even blush at her innuendos anymore, so conditioned he had become to his sister's teasing. But he did take her advice when he heard the faint sound of heels on tiled floors. Pulling his hood over his head as low as he was able, he opened the door and looked around for his belongings. The conversation hadn't stopped when he came in, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He made himself as inconspicuous as he could as he rummaged through his bags for his spare pajamas. The changing area seemed deserted when he made his way there, but he knocked anyway and listened. When there was no sound, he walked in and stepped into the nearest stall. In what he was sure was a feat worthy of a world record, he changed out of his pants and armor into his sleepwear before he headed out. He didn't bother changing his hoodie, since he would need the anonymity the hood gave him.

His steps were hurried and panicked as he made his way to his bedroll. It wasn't until he was in the comfortable sleeping bag, with entire roll zipped up that he breathed a sigh of relief. He had made it. No one had recognized him and beaten him black and blue for sneaking into the girl's locker room. Or for being a pervert in general. His treacherous eyes had wandered during his way back, and he had been treated to a view he found extremely welcome. Many of the girls were in various states of undress, some choosing to sleep in their underwear. If there was one thing he could say for certain, it was that all of his fellow first years could moonlight as supermodels. Any further thoughts that were carnal in nature were immediately pulverized when he had remembered Miss Goodwitch's warning, and he had stared resolutely at the floor during his return. Jaune found himself drifting to sleep despite thinking he would be too nervous to. The day had been quite long, and he was prepared to meet tomorrow well rested and fed. That was when he heard his bag being unzipped. He scrambled to keep the bag over himself but it was ripped out of his hands. Jaune opened his eyes a fraction to see a lilac eyes looking back at him, with six other people behind her.

"Hello there vomit boy. Think we need to talk, don't you?"

 **Hey there. Just wanted to let you know, I've started my second story, Para Bellum as well. You can read it by going to my profile. I'll leave you guys with a short summary, and hopefully you like it. As usual, reviews are much appreciated.**

 **Para Bellum: One Earth military base. Transported to one new world. Will remnant protect it's own or will Earth's children take their pound of flesh?**


	7. Chapter 7

Jaune desperately tried to keep his eyes locked with Yang and not wandering lower. She was in a _very_ loose shirt that had a good amount of clearance between her generous chest and the fabric, his treacherous body rebelling against him.

"Hey there, uh, Yang". When there was no response from her he looked past hoping to find Pyrrha for support. It seemed fate wanted him to suffer a bit more for now, as he saw a lock of red hair disappear behind Ruby but before he could think on it anymore Yang coughed.

"Am I not pretty enough to hold your attention vomit boy?"

"What? No, you are. Wait, I didn't mean it like that-" he immediately replied, trying to salvage the already smoldering wreck of the conversation.

Weiss thankfully spoke up before he could deepen his grave.

"Enough, Yang. Stop teasing him" Yang's pout seemed very juvenile on her frame, but Weiss was on him before he could recuperate.

"And you, start talking. How do you have aura?"

Jaune nearly whimpered at being the center of attention again. He looked up at the seven huntresses-in-training looking down at him searching for reprieve on any of their faces but only saw a wide range of emotion; excepting sympathy of course. There was grim determination from Weiss, mischievous glee from Yang and Nora, curiosity from Blake and Rin and abashed interest from Ruby and Pyrrha. It seemed there wasn't really any way to talk his way out of this apart from telling them as many half-truths as he believed they would fall for.

"I just _do_. I was attacked by a Grimm and a huntress tried to unlock my aura to save me. And I didn't die."

Ruby and Pyrrha now looked mortified at forcing him to relive what was bound to be a painful memory but Weiss didn't falter.

"Why would a huntress try to unlock a male's aura? It's like hoping for a miracle to happen. I don't buy it."

The conversation was veering into very dangerous territory. If they found out that it was because he was dressed as a girl his time at Beacon would be agony. No, they couldn't be allowed to find out.

"The huntress was my mother. She didn't know what else to do" Yes! That was it, play the sympathy card and make them feel bad enough to stop asking.

"We were miles away from transport or any hospital and I would have died before she could get me there. So she tried the only thing she knew" Jaune made sure to waver his voice, inflecting as much emotion as he could into his words. And it was working. Ruby's face was positively mortified, and even Nora's face no longer showed any signs of mischief. Weiss' interrogating air had deflated, and she seemed positively pensive and awkward in her role as interrogator.

"I s-see. Well, I'm sorry you had to go through that again because of us", the apology delivered like she was swallowing the world's most sour lemon.

"It's fine. I always wanted to be out there fighting with my sisters" Jaune said, accepting the apology eagerly and hoping that would be the end of the conversation. But his supply of luck had apparently been extinguished trying to save him from the Beowulf, as Pyrrha spoke up; eager to make up for her abandoning him.

"Your sisters are huntresses? Who are they?"

Jaune cursed himself and his loose tongue. He was conflicted over whether to tell them who his family was. His mother had been out of the public eye for a long time but he was unsure if her fame still persisted in the younger generations of hunters, while his sister Jennifer on the other hand was undoubtedly still well-known despite her hiatus from the public sphere. How would he deal with the expectations that came pre-packaged with being a sibling of Jennifer Arc, and a son of Violetta Arc? Alas, the simple fact of the matter was that he couldn't hide his origins for any meaningful amount of time. The Arc name was just too ubiquitous in huntress circles.

"Well, there are seven of them actually. One is in her second year here."

Pyrrha shook her head, as if she hadn't heard him correctly.

"Wait. Seven sisters?" Her mouth was agape a short while later as realization finally hit her like his mother's strikes.

"You're Jennifer Arc's brother? Violetta Arc's son?"

That had the effect he had been expecting, as six faces looked at him incredulously before Weiss was almost nose to nose with him.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? Oh my God! Your sister is the best huntress of her generation! People have almost begun comparing Pyrrha to her."

"Except she is better than me in every way. Jennifer Arc's feats are legendary, even in Mistral. I can only ever hope to become half the huntress she is"

Jaune felt ornery but attempted to push it down with a good mannered smile.

"I guess we'll see, won't we? Anyway, we need to get up early tomorrow so…"

Pyrrha got the hint, nodding at him once before ushering the rest of the girls away. All except Yang that is.

"I'll be back Ruby, need to visit the little girls' room" she said as she waved Ruby off with her back to him.

When her sister was far enough, Yang turned around and Jaune was instantly on guard. Her face was completely neutral and any hint of mischief completely wiped. His fears were assuaged somewhat when she simply made her way past him and towards the toilets. Jaune collapsed back onto his pillow, enervated beyond measure. Perhaps his sisters had been right in not wanting him to leave.

"Hey"

Jaune looked up to see Yang looking down at him with the exact same deadpan she had worn when leaving his side.

"That was a nice story you told the rest of them. But I remember things a bit more clearly, vomit boy. Though I remember you made a pretty hot girl, I have to admit."

His chest seemed to lift from the mattress as his heart did it's best to shatter his rib cage with the force of its beat. How could she know? There was no one there, except Qrow and his family. Had there? Wait. The girls Qrow had been training.

"I don't know what you mean. What are you talking about?" He had intended for his voice to be carefully neutral to convince Yang but that plan went to shit when he heard his very manly whimper.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna tell anyone, but this does explain where Qrow has been for the past year or so. And why your mother kept calling you 'son'."

"Why would you keep my secret?" Jaune asked incredulously.

"Uhhh, because I'm not a bitch? I mean c'mon all I've done is tease you till now."

"And shoot me. Twice in case you forgot"

"Pssh, what, you think we had time to explain to Ruby or Weiss that you had Aura and convince them? If you remember, a deathstalker and a nevermore were gunning for us at the time. I needed them to focus on killing the Grimm rather than worrying about you."

"That still doesn't explain the first time!" Jaune exclaimed, not willing to let himself being shot be relegated to an everyday experience.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I only aimed for your toes though, in case you were bluffing or something. Anyway, this works out great for you y'know. I'll keep your _dirty_ little secret, and in return you help me with something later on. Deal?"

"What kind of something?"

"I want you to assassinate Ozpin"

"…"

"Now you know how I felt. I'll probably get lazy and make you do my homework for a while or something. Besides, I haven't spent a lot of time with guys but I _know_ they'd love to spend time with lil old me. Wouldn't you?"

Jaune's response was to pull his covers back over his head. Her flirtatious goodbye was filtered by the cloth but didn't fail to set his heart aflutter all the same. Closing his eyes, he tried his best to sleep although it would end up taking a while as his mind went through all the ways Yang might claim her favor. All the very _unchaste_ ways.

Sleep had been fleeting and sparse; the multitude of women around him putting any thoughts of rest far from his mind as he imagined waking up with morning wood. Covers or not, he wouldn't be able to explain that before he got pummeled by dozens of angry huntresses. Ozpin had said his aura was larger than was expected for someone his age but he doubted it was enough to withstand whatever retribution his body's morning ritual would bring. Sitting up, he looked around to survey the hall. The dim lighting wasn't very good at letting him make out where his new friends – ? – were but it was enough to let him know no one was awake yet. It was nearly four thirty in the morning, so they weren't likely to wake up any time soon either: well, not before he finished his morning ablutions that is. He hoped.

He had debated waiting till the last girl had left for the ceremony till heading to change but living with seven sisters meant he knew how long that could take. With the number of girls that were sleeping in the hall there was a legitimate chance that he would miss the ceremony. Feet floating like feathers, he tiptoed to the changing rooms while dodging snoring huntresses encamped everywhere like a scene from a cartoon. The water was frigid, and a shiver slithered out of him as his teeth chattered in the arctic shower. The cold was very uncomfortable, but it took a back seat to his fear. What if one of the girls heard the sound and woke up? Paranoia led to haste as he scrubbed himself hard enough that he was sure he had given himself a friction burn. Stepping out, he was pleased to see that his clothes for the day had surprisingly been ironed already and placed neatly in his luggage.

Jaune was dressed and out in what he was sure must have been an hour but turned out to be a mere twelve minutes. Retrieving Crocea Mors, he donned his armor as silently as he could. The piece had been custom made for him and was sturdy enough to keep Qrow from breaking through his aura and shattering his ribs. In other words it was really good. Each step he made through the hall towards the main doors was nerve racking to the extreme. He passed the sleeping forms of Rin and Nora, the latter muttering something that sounded like 'pancakes' as she tossed and turned next to her serene friend. Pausing as he reached the door, he looked back before gingerly holding the knob to open the portal to freedom. The door had barely moved an inch before a creak that sounded like a depraved, ghostly moan emanated from the oaken barrier. Jaune was convinced the entirety of the hall had awoken and were now staring at his back or gathering their weapons, or worse their scrolls to document his humiliation. When there was no sudden flare of pain or flash of light after an eternity, he chanced a look behind while closing his eyes until his head was turned to the side. Nothing. They were still as asleep as they were before. Was this luck repayment for the trials he had faced during initiation? Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Jaune stepped out of the hall.

Beacon was an absolutely massive complex, large enough to put many minor villages to shame with its gargantuan size. It was also extremely rich, thought Jaune, as he walked through the hallways that were still lit with innumerable dust lamps. The daily expenditures alone must have been more than some people's entire life earnings. His feet made little sound as he entered the gardens, hoping to get some sleep under the open, starlit skies. The dew adorned nearly every blade of grass like so many pearls, their luster nearly luminous enough to navigate the trimmed hedges. Jaune made his way to a spot under a particularly large oaken tree aided with the light from his scroll. The grass was lush, interspersed with the tree's protruding roots and presenting a very fluff and comfortable mattress. Lying down in the thick vegetation, his exhaustion that had been pushed to the back of his mind began making itself known once more. Luckily, he was in no mood for protest, falling under its guiles and drifting finally into a dreamless slumber.

He awoke to a pleasant sun warming his face, the heat just enough to be comfortable rather than stifling. His eyes opened a fraction to glance at his scroll, and he couldn't help a content purr as he saw there was still an hour or so left till the ceremony was slated to begin. Jaune lay back down in the lush grass, the evaporating dew cooling the ground enough that the mild heat of the sun was nullified. Basking in the early morning glow, he couldn't help but relax for the first time in what seemed like years. After his aura had been unlocked, he had barely taken a moment to rest or think about what he wanted to do with this gift. Becoming a huntsman was what he wanted to do; to help save those who couldn't fight. People like his father. People like him.

As a shadow drifted over his face he couldn't help a huff of frustration at whatever tree branch had decided to interrupt his rest. As he groggily sat up, he opened his eyes to find himself at eye level with a girl. Well, specifically her crotch.

"See something you like?" a lascivious voice purred from above, and Jaune recoiled as if stung, falling back. Ink black trousers greeted him along with a black waist cincher. An ammo belt made its appearance as he moved up to the hazel colored shirt and finally saw the pretty face staring back at him, ensconced in diva-esque glasses. She was wearing a smirk that screamed confidence, so Jaune was slightly taken aback when she offered him her hand to get up.

"Uh, thanks."

"Wait, did you just thank me?" she asked, pointing to herself.

Jaune was confused. Was basic decency that rare nowadays?

"Uh, yes? Why wouldn't I after you helped me up?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes drilling into his before she doubled over in laughter.

"Oh this is too good" she wheezed as she finally stopped laughing. "The rest of the year will never believe this. To imagine someone this polite and nice related to Natalie Arc"

Jaune may have been naïve but he knew an insult when he took one, especially one as barely concealed as that.

"You realize that's my sister you're badmouthing right?"

"Ooh" she cooed "there's the feisty Arc demeanor I was expecting" and she looked him over like a cut of meat at the butchers.

"Definitely workable as well. The personality could use some spice, but I think I'll just have to bring that out."

Any further examination was arrested as a shrill familiar voice tore its way towards them.

"ADEL"

Jaune felt terror permeate its way through him even if he wasn't the one the anger was aimed at. Natalie had always been the most volatile of the Arc sisters, and even Anna and Jean had trouble dealing with her when she was truly incensed. Her semblance was able to absolutely debilitate an enemy's mind or extremity if she was able to focus on them, but she did need line of sight on them for it to work. It was immediately clear what she was trying to do to the girl in front of him if her expression was anything to go by. Jaune looked back to warn her away only to see her disappear behind a rather massive oak.

"GET OUT HERE YOU STRUMPET" Natalie screeched as she passed him like he was a blonde bundle of rocks.

"Um, Nat" he squeaked out meekly, hoping to stop his sister from sending the girl into a coma. She hadn't really done anything worthy of that.

"How about you calm down please?" He should have known telling Natalie to calm down when she was like this wasn't really the smartest thing to do. His dear, loving sister that totally wouldn't kill him turned towards him slowly like an eldritch horror from ancient tales, her hands shaking and her eyes morphed into slits.

"What are you doing out here Jaune? Tell me you didn't sleep in the garden?" Jaune couldn't help his gulp as she stepped closer, towering over him despite being shorter.

"N-no, I just woke up early and got dressed and came here. I laid down since there was still time for the ceremony. Please don't hurt me."

"Yeah, banshee. Don't hurt the poor boy" Jaune's eyes widened into saucers as he stared at the dead woman who thought it wise to provoke his sister in her current state. She had finally emerged from behind the tree, dusting off her handbag and clothes as she made her way to them. Jaune put himself in between the two second year huntresses, as he tried to talk his sister down from her rage.

"Look Nat, she was just talking to me. No need to get mad."

"Yeah, _Nat_. You should learn some manners from your brother over here."

"I know what your plan is Adel. You come close to him and I'll punch those eyeglasses into your beady little eyes."

"So violent" the madwoman named Adel mocked, before she made her way out of the gardens. But not before turning to wave at him flirtatiously. He must have stared for longer than appropriate because Natalie held his face and turned it towards her.

"Jaune". She loomed over him, her face inches from his as she spoke lowly.

"If you do anything with that bitch, _you'll_ have to be the one to tell mom why you won't ever become a dad, got it?"

Jaune nodded, increasing her fervor when Natalie didn't seem to believe him.

"Who's your partner?"

"Pyrrha Nikos"

Jaune relaxed as her anger gave way to surprise.

"No shit? Well good job snagging her. Text me when you get settled in your room, I wanna meet your team. Anyways" she said, looking around to make sure Adel wasn't waiting in the wings "get to the ceremony now. There isn't much time left."

Jaune couldn't wait to leave, power walking his way through the gardens before breaking into a full sprint as soon as he exited them. Finally free of the suffocating aura Natalie could unconsciously exert around her when enraged, Jaune made his way back to the hall where the students had received their pre-initiation talk. It was already nearly full, and Jaune couldn't help but thank Adel for waking him up, even if it meant he had nearly wet himself when his sister had descended on them. He spotted a lock of shocking red hair and a circlet, and started to head towards his partner.

"Hey Pyrrha"

The spartan snapped around near instantly, and Jaune was once again reminded of the gap between his own training and reflexes and that of nearly every other huntress here. Her eyes widened perceptibly as she saw him, and she smiled widely enough that Jaune was nearly blinded by her luster.

"Jaune!"

He had noticed she was beautiful of course, but it was in that instinctual male way of evaluating nearly every woman from the perspective of a potential mate. But now he saw how much her beauty was amplified when she smiled and Jaune's heart skipped a beat as he realized it was because of him, only to slow down to a dull thud as he realized what his chances were of ever attracting the attention of someone like her. He had apparently been staring for longer than was appropriate because Pyrrha waved her hands in his face, a light red hue on her cheeks.

"Right, um sorry. Spaced out for a bit there, how'd your night go".

"…"

So this was what it was like to want to repeatedly want to punch himself in the mouth.

"What I meant was that I, uh" his hand went to the back of his head as it always did when he was nervous or had made an absolute fool of himself. Respite came in the form of one magnificent Ruby Rose, and Jaune would have kissed her if he wasn't sure that Yang would have killed him then and there.

"Jaune! Where were you? We, well me and Pyrrha looked for you when we got up but you weren't there!"

Like a dying man grasping at a straw, Jaune Arc embraced the change in conversation.

"Who? Me? Why? Why were you looking for lil old me?"

Ruby looked at him with a raised eyebrow before Pyrrha replied.

"We knew you might have trouble with all of the girls around so we were looking to escort you to safety"

Did she really have to make him sound like such a prince in distress? He hated those stories the most, where a man or boy would have to rely on his gallant woman to save him. When the reality was that most guys were stronger than women without aura by far. It was the men that worked the dangerous and labor intensive jobs – apart from hunting Grimm – after all. Ruby spoke up to break his inner monologue.

"Where did you go?"

"Ah… I just couldn't sleep. Woke up before sunrise, took a shower and headed out into the gardens."

Ruby's eyes were full of wonder, and he was puzzled at her expression until she spoke up.

"If I tried to wake up Yang at sunrise, I'm 90% sure she would kill me"

The lull in the conversation had the hairs on his neck standing up, as he realized something was wrong. The hall had been lively when he entered, but had devolved into a mess of whispers. Whispers and pointed looks at him. He was afraid to look up, but it was like he was in a dream with his body moving of its own volition. The girls didn't even have the decency to look away when he saw them staring, the frequency of their shushed conversations picking up. His cheeks were burning, and he knew he was blushing fiercely but Ozpin finally broke the spell that had settled over the room.

"You have all excelled in your assigned tasks, and proven your worth in the Emerald Forest. But do not be mistaken, dear students. This is but the first of many trials you will have to endure through your tenure at Beacon academy"

The words had never rang truer for him than they did now as he made his way past the gaggle of girls, catching snippets of conversation that made him increase his pace even as Ruby called out. He had to find someplace secluded come up when his name was called, and then make his way out of there. His hands had begun shaking as the full weight of his circumstance finally dawned on him. He would always be in the public eye, every failure of his being judged and probably reported on. How he be expected to be a catalyst for the rights of those who aspired beyond the station they had been assigned, male or female. And now, he was probably going to have to deal with three other girls who would be leagues stronger than him. Would they resent him for bringing the attention on to them? Or would they hate him for dragging them down?

His name being called was what made him look up, and he walked like an automaton, his limbs stiff and his eyes looking forward but seeing nothing.

"However, know that for the next four years, and if you are lucky, for the rest of your lives you will not be forced to face the challenges of life alone. For collecting the knight pieces; Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. Team APBY led by… Jaune Arc!"

'She's a collector, she likes her trophies'

His mother's words resonated in his head as he looked at the ashen haired woman with his mouth agape. What possible logic could there be to making _him_ team leader over the likes of Pyrrha who he had understood to be a prodigy. It made no sense. Pyrrha nudged him slowly, guiding him off the stage as him and his new team took their place on the benches with Jaune seated between Yang and Pyrrha. The brawler nudged him with a teasing gleam in her eyes that dissipated as she saw her team leader's vacant stare.

"Hey there fearless leader. You ok?"

He probably wouldn't have responded were it not for the genuine worry he placed in her voice; the emotion so foreign to the girl's demeanor he was shocked out of his brooding.

"Ye-" his voice caught as he realized how dry his throat was.

"Yes, just a bit overwhelmed" he smiled at her in his best imitation of a comforting smile.

"Thank you for the concern"

And just like that, the old Yang was back, her arm slung over his shoulder and her partner's. Blake looked over at him but not before glaring at Yang – to no effect – and he could see no smile. Before he could fear the worst she nodded at him discreetly and Jaune felt like he knew the silent girl enough to take it as a sign of support. Or at least tacit acceptance.

It was his partner though that gave him the most assurance. Pyrrha had been jovial ever since they had descended from the stage. And while it may have been too much to say she had a spring in her step, she did walk with renewed resurgence, smiling at him and congratulating him a dozen times a minute.

"You'll make an excellent leader, Jaune, I'm sure of it. Especially after how you helped take down the death stalker", and Jaune couldn't stop some of the redhead's positivity diffusing into him, making him smile.

"And now, for collecting the Rook pieces; Ruby Rose, Lie Ren, Weiss Schnee, and Nora Valkyrie. Team RVNS led by Ruby Rose!"

There was a massive cheer as Nora practically lifted Ruby up into the air, twirling her like a toddler while Yang added her own encouragement from the stands, shouting at the top of her lungs. He saw Rin looking at the duo with a small smile while Weiss carried an expression that would best be described as… flabbergasted.

Now that he thought about it, Ruby wasn't exactly leader material either. She would still make a far better leader than he would, but the fact that Ozpin had chosen her… Did it mean she didn't have some nefarious agenda? Or was she collecting Ruby as well?

Jaune stared at the headmistress long and hard, hoping to catch her eye and maybe get a handle on her motives but she never looked his way. The fact of the matter remained however, that Ruby was his friend, no, his first friend at beacon. And he wasn't about to let anyone take advantage of her, even Ozpin. Would he be able to stop them, though, was the real question.

Jaune Arc's four years of Beacon began today.

 **Won't really make excuses. Been lazy with LoL and stuff plus there's been renovating going on at home so I've had to help take care of any drinks or food the painters need. I'll be travelling in the next few days, so I might be as tardy or even tardier – is that a word? – as this time, so apologies for that. Also, reached 150+ favs and 220 + follows. I'd like to thank unemployment and utter boredom with life for helping me achieve this. Anyway, my second story is gonna be on a hiatus for a while as I rewrite it, because it's a steaming pile of shit with no arc in sight. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

The walk after the ceremony had been boisterous for most of his new friends. Yang had immediately begun gushing over Ruby, trapping the younger girl in a headlock as she did her best impression of a hellcat. Nora was busy making plans with, or rather at Weiss while Rin tried her best to keep the kinetic Valkyrie from smothering the heiress who had an expression on her face that he didn't like at all. Her eyes glanced towards Ruby before hardening, and Jaune couldn't help the pang of irritation he felt surge inside him. Ruby could be naïve sometimes, and she was somewhat clumsy but what had she done to deserve such animosity?

They reached the mess hall for the welcome feast, and to his surprise it wasn't as lavish an affair as he had expected it to be. The food was the only thing that seemed extravagant, and only slightly at that. He had eaten most of the dishes on his birthday, but never at the same time. Boiled duck, stuffed turkey, a number of massive cakes; it was all surreal enough that he heard Pyrrha call out to him inquisitively after he had been staring blankly ahead for a time. Putting on a smile for his partner, he inwardly hoped she wouldn't be as mothering all the time: he'd had enough of that from his family. There unfortunately weren't enough seats for them and team RVNS to sit together, but Jaune was tired of moping and being so meek all the time. He wasn't going to be the old Jaune anymore.

The table immediately fell quiet as his team settled down, and Jaune found himself adjacent to a brunette that was taller than him while dressed in full plate armor emblazoned with the insignia of a large bird. Turning towards her to say hello, he found her staring at him with what was a decidedly unfriendly expression on her face. Before Jaune could ask what had crawled up her panties, he found her inches away from him. The air itself seemed to still as the large woman growled at him.

"I knew it" she called turning to the three girls besides her, "Ozpin was fully of shit. No way does this prick have aura".

Not one to give up so soon, Jaune pushed forward in optimistic confidence as he held out his hand.

"Hi there, the name's Jaune Arc. I don't really know why you think I don't have aura, but you can ask my team and they'll tell you I do. Isn't that right guys?"

Looking towards his team for affirmation, he paused upon seeing their faces. Pyrrha's eyes were narrowed as she stared past him, while the forced smile on Yang's face seemed alien, even as she waved weakly at the girl. Blake seemed the least affected, still eating with a book open next to her food. He felt a calloused hand grab his just as he saw her amber eyes dart towards him. Happy to finally make some progress, Jaune turned towards his neighbor only to experience a grinding pain that threatened to make him call out. The girl was actually trying to crush his hand. Well, maybe this was how huntresses hazed each other? Jaune tried to bear the pain, biting his lip to muffle his voice as the pressure refused to let up. The seconds were agonizing and he was forced to hold in his whimper but the girl did let go. She was definitely much stronger than him if the drained aura was any indication. Hoping she'd be satisfied, Jaune looked at her expectantly only to get a derisive snort.

"Well, looks like I was wrong. Perhaps there is a single guy on this planet that isn't a burden."

Irritation flared up and he visibly bristled at her malevolent sneer. No, this wasn't someone he could make friends with.

"That's not a very nice way to talk about your father" he shot back, but the girl only cackled in response.

"Oh no, he's a burden for sure. Only reason my mom keeps him around is because she has to. Keeping up appearances, and all that."

"I'd like to see you do half the things men have to do without aura" he retorted as the girl narrowed her eyes, looking down at him in a scornful scowl he couldn't help but feel he had seen before.

"A pack mule can do everything a man can do and they're probably smarter and better at it as well. I don't know what Ozpin was thinking when he let you in, but you won't survive the year. I promise you"

"Is that a threat?" he heard Yang smirk without a trace of humor as the telltale sound of Ember Celica engaging made itself heard.

The girl reached for her mace, but before she could draw her partner pointed and whispered something into her ear. The massive mace was re sheathed as the huge girl's eyes wandered somewhere behind him. The quartet got up, but not before turning back around for one final snipe.

"Not a threat, Xiao Long. A fact."

Jaune realized that the din of the mess hall had vanished. All eyes were on their table, and despite how hard he tried to disappear into the floor, the sensation of being watched remained.

"I don't really feel hungry, anymore" he intoned weakly as he did his best to put on a smile that wasn't pitifully fake. Before he could get up, a hand grabbed his wrist as Yang stood up as well. Pyrrha simply picked up her tray while Yang smiled as she saw the guilt on his face. A resounding smack on his back left him nearly wheezing and he glared at Yang while working to catch his breath.

"Oh cheer up already. Time for us to check out the rooms!"

Blake - sighing silently enough that the only sign of it was her posture – followed the trio but thankfully for him employed the same apathetic look she had had for the past hour.

There were a few… _complications_ that had been pushed to the back of his mind after the revelation that he was going to be team leader. Jaune had lived with at least one sister in his life at all times. Jen regularly came to visit and unwind with them but Arya was too caught up in the wanderlust, simply forgetting to come home for months at a time. The rest of his sisters made an effort to stay at home whenever they were able to, so their brother was deeply intimate with what living with multiple women entailed. Bras everywhere, tampons strewed across the entirety of the bathroom, and multiple indignant shrieks – that had eventually petered down to deadpan looks and sighs after the hundredth time – when he or his sisters walked in on each other when they were… less than decent. That, however, was family. On the way to the dorms the crushing, bloody tampon of reality had smacked loudly against Jaune as he realized what he was in for. Jen might have apologized for him walking in on her when he was too young to understand but he was under no illusions any such mistakes with Yang, Pyrrha or Blake would cut his huntsman career drastically short.

Team RVNS had reached their rooms first, Nora bouncing ever higher in her bed, her squeals of joy drowned out by Rin's increasingly hysterical pleas for her to stop. Weiss seemed resigned, her head in her hands as she muttered something under her breath. Jaune had had an idea about the rooms seeing as how even of his sisters had attended the academy, yet he was still surprised by how cramped they seemed. The beds were almost touching each other, and the study tables seemed fit to burst; having been compressed into a space that was definitely not big enough for them between the cupboards and the walls. Leaving the rest of them to their revelry – and Weiss to her melancholy – he turned back to see the fourth member of his team and his partner already in the room.

Blake had been the most withdrawn of his teammates, and her behavior seemed almost furtive. She had humored Yang's eccentricities patiently but Jaune could still sense how aloof she was trying to keep herself from the rest of them. Pyrrha on the other hand had been hovering over both him and Yang like a mother hen. Both of them had already claimed the furthest and the second furthest beds in the room respectively and were unpacking their suitcases that had somehow been delivered to their dorms. Before he could join in however, arms that had now become annoying familiar wrapped around his neck.

"Oof, get OFF."

"As a matter of fact, I did recently but thank you for asking."

Jaune's struggle renewed in earnest, even as he was dreading the looks on his team's faces. Natalie had always been crass to say the least and this wasn't how he expected his first day as team leader to go. Finally elbowing the older girl in her stomach as hard as he could, he emerged from beneath her fit to pass out from all the blood rushing to his face. He whipped around to glare at his tormentor, ready to spew bile, only to have any anger dissipate like ice in a frying pan. Natalie was bent over, wheezing as she tried to draw breath.

Uncertainty crept into his voice, as he called out to her.

"Nat?"

It wasn't even a moment before she was back up however, her face tinged with red from what seemed like embarrassment rather than discomfort.

"I guess I don't have to hold back on you anymore, do I? Damn, I don't remember being this strong at your age". Her smile was plastered back on her face as she looked around at the rest of them, Team RVNS having emerged after hearing the commotion.

"Soooo, Jaune. Introduce me?"

"This is my sister, Natalie" he said pointing over his shoulder at her before turning around and introducing each of them. He was about to introduce Pyrrha however when she interrupted him.

"You think I don't know who she is? You moron, she's like Jen was when she was younger."

Jaune tilted his head, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Jen was on a cereal box?"

The resounding slap as Natalie's hand impacted her face was enough to make people emerge from their rooms to stare at the second year huntress holding her hand to her face so forcefully it was like she was trying to make it go through her head.

With a sigh Jaune thought was a tad too dramatic she turned to a guffawing Yang and a Pyrrha who had a hand in front of her mouth trying in vain to stifle a giggle. Even Blake's mouth was upturned as her eyes kept darting towards the three of them.

"I wish you luck. You're going to need it" turning to him, she began straightening his collar to his mortification, swatting aside his protesting hands.

"I have to go to class" she whispered.

"Stay safe."

"Where did this come from?" Jaune queried. His sister had never been one for exposing the chinks in her armor.

She squeezed him tighter, making him wince as she scoffed without mirth.

"Just stay safe"

She left with such haste he could almost have thought that he imagined it, were it not for the myriad of looks on his teams faces.

Rolling his eyes at what was going to undoubtedly be ammunition for Yang's barrage if her grin was any indication, he sighed heavily enough to hunch his shoulders.

"Let's go. We've got a room to settle into. Save your jabs till we're inside."

"Alright, so some ground rules" Yang proclaimed after they had all claimed a bed.

"Since we've got a boy, we'll have to make some accommodations other teams won't, obviously"

"You make it sound like being a boy is a disability. Also, I'm not a boy. I'm a man" Jaune protested.

" _Suure_ you are"

"I'm seventeen!"

"Of _couurse_ you are"

"That doesn't even make any sense! I _am_ seventeen!" he cried. Thankfully before Yang could kill him from a burst blood vessel, his ever reliable partner stepped in.

"How about we get back to the rules? Jaune, do you have problems waking up early?"

Realizing he was being addressed, Jaune broke his glaring contest with Yang –though she only smirked – to turn to his partner.

"No. I'll usually be up before you anyways. I don't sleep much."

"Perfect, then you can get the first shower."

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on" Yang cut in. "I need hot water to nourish my luscious locks. How do I know you won't use all of it?"

"Because my hair isn't long enough to choke myself with?"

That seemed to give the buxom blonde pause, as she stared at him wordlessly for a few moments before nodding.

"Alright, you can have the first shower. Now, apart from that you can't masturbate in the room" said the blonde even as Jaune did his best to bury his face in his hands while Pyrrha looked fit to explode.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

"ME?" she yelled back "I know what you boys do. I just don't want anything to scar poor old Pyrrha here."

"Actually" a voice called from above them. "That's a bit private, isn't it Yang? It's his room as well. As long as it's done privately, y'know."

"What! Now you speak up?" he looked incredulously towards his black haired teammate who had the decency to blush.

"You know what fine" Jaune resigned as he fell back into his bed.

"But none of you can leave underwear lying around."

"WHAT" all three voices exclaimed.

Jaune's eyes glazed over as memories of finding unmentionables hanging off his bedposts, cupboards, and nearly every other conceivable surface assaulted his mind. To make matters worse, his sisters would always round up on him if he dared to so much as move it, no matter where it was. Before he could succumb to the madness, he shook himself out of the nightmare and looked back to his team.

"No. Underwear. In. The. Room" Jaune enunciated each word with increasing hysteria and even Yang flinched and was forced to take a step back.

"Sheesh, okay. You act like a bra murdered your family."

Jaune's intense look didn't waver however, forcing Yang to turn away her eyes from his piercing gaze. The nigh palpable tension that had somehow settled in the room was dispelled with a knock on the door, Yang practically sighing with relief for the reprieve. Pyrrha swung the door open and he could hear someone speak but the line of sight was obscured from where he was sitting. His partner turned around like someone swinging a marionette, her eyes wide and locked onto his.

"Jaune. It's your mother" was all she said before she went and sat ramrod straight in her bed, her eyes staring ahead as she looked at what must have been a very interesting spot on the wall with an expression he could best describe as that of a mannequin. Shrugging it off, he made his way to the door to see his mother dressed in the strangest garb he had ever seen.

Her hair was covered in a red scarf, obscuring her luscious hair and he could barely see her cheeks because of the massive sunglasses she wore. If Pyrrha hadn't told him it was his mother he doubted whether he would have recognized her.

"Mom?" he asked as his eyes narrowed. "Why are you dressed like this?"

She didn't reply except to pick him up for a bear hug that left him blue in the face. It was only when he began exhaling in pants that his mother dropped him, only to grab his face in her hands as she forced him to look into her eyes.

"I'm so proud of you"

At any other time he might have blushed and accepted her praise but he was currently very exposed; standing in the doorway and in full sight of his team, not to mention Yang.

"Mooom" he whined, "Let go, I'm fine" he drawled as his mother finally gave in to his efforts even as the beginnings of the avalanche that would no doubt overwhelm him could be heard in the background, Yang's sniggering giving him chills. Absentmindedly he thought of how easily his mother had subdued him; when his family hadn't even given him cause to so much as wince due to them throughout his life.

That infuriating parental immunity to embarrassment had flared up however, and she brushed off his protests as she looked over him with a critical eye.

"I saw your initiation. You showed such an instinctive mind for strategy I was thinking we should have sent you to the defense corps."

"But then how would he be a part of the best team in Beacon?" a voice called from behind him, and such was her personality that despite knowing her for barely a day he could already recognize Yang's voice dripping with mirth. He turned around to see her smiling her best smile at both of them.

"Yang Xiao Long. Brawler, bombshell and partner extraordinaire at your service."

Jaune sighed but his eyes instantly narrowed as he saw his mother's dangerous smile creep its way on to her face.

"Blake Belladonna is that foxy little thing over there, and I'm sure you know who Pyrrha is. She _definitely_ knew who you were though."

Blake however, seemed unnaturally demure. She squeaked out a hello before instantly retreating back behind her book. Pyrrha still looked like a puppet with how she stared ahead; he'd have to see what had gotten into her soon. His attention was broken however, as his mother addressed the rest of his team in a voice so saccharine he could feel the tooth ache it would give him.

"I see. I saw the two of you, but I didn't really know your names. It's only fitting really" and he could practically hear Blake gulp as Yang's smile deflated like a balloon popped with a greatsword.

"That I know what names to put on your gravestones. You should be happy it's me, Jen wanted to string you up and leave you in the Emerald forest. I'll make it quick, as a courtesy to your mother."

Yang instinctively took a step back, trying to laugh to break the tension only for the sound to fizzle out as his mother refused to drop her smile.

"You can imagine how stressed a mother would be when she sends her only son into a forest full of Grimm" she said with a hand on her hip and the other tapping her chin as Blake tried to recede further into her bed and Yang sputtered a few more laughs like a dying engine.

"And now think how she would feel when the first persons he meets shoot him in the leg to verify his claim"

"N-now, Mrs. Arc, you have to understand" she pleaded as she made her way towards Blake who for her part was trying to make it towards the window. It wouldn't be any use however.

"We were just trying to make sure he actually had aura. We didn't want to risk it with the Grimm, who might go for something more essential than a foot" Blake finally spoke out after finding her back to the proverbial and literal wall. Someone more vindictive might have let it go on for a little longer, but Jaune knew what being on the other side of the fence felt like and his teammates hadn't done anything to deserve it. Well, apart from shooting him but he had aura so he was willing to let things slide.

"Mom, stop scaring my team" he huffed as he tried to drag her away by her elbows.

"Come on, I want to know how everyone's doing. Qrow broke my scroll on the first day of training"

A squeak finally drew his mother's attention away from the cornered huntresses and towards the doorway. The two of them turned to see a head of black hair just manage to vanish. Jaune sighed before calling out.

"Come on out Ruby. Let's get the introductions over with"

"Umm hello" she barely whispered out with her face as red as her namesake.

"Mom, this is Ruby Rose. My first friend at Beacon"

Ruby surprised him by speaking up however, though her nervousness was still apparent.

"I didn't mean to spy on you, but did you say Qrow?"

Jaune finally understood, even as he palmed his forehead for not making the connection earlier. The memory of the Beowulf attack had been pushed to the back of his mind but he could still remember someone dressed like Ruby and Yang training with Qrow at the time.

"Mom, she's Qrow's niece."

His mother's eyes widened as she came to the same realization he did, and she extended a hand forward.

"I would never have guessed someone so adorable could be related to that drunk hussy"

"Yang's also her niece"

"Perhaps I spoke too soon. Tell me dear, are you sure you're related to that strumpet and this girl?"

Ruby's eyes went from embarrassed to downcast instantly and Jaune could feel the atmosphere in the room fall rapidly. This definitely wasn't something they should be intruding on. He heard Yang approaching them from behind but his mother reacted swiftly, no doubt more experienced with such situations than he probably ever would be.

"No matter. Remember Miss Rose, you are not your uncle, or your sister, or your parent. You are yourself, and only you can decide who that is"

Jaune saw some of the confusing melancholy dissipate off her visage as Ruby looked up, her lips upturning into a ghost of a smile.

"Come Jaune, your father met some old friends outside and he'll probably stay with them till nightfall if I let him"

Nodding to his team – Blake and Yang somewhat relieved to know they weren't facing imminent death anymore, and Pyrrha no longer catatonic – he followed her out of his room.

The mother-son pair walked in silence through the thoroughfare, wading through the mass of huntresses making their way to and from Beacon. The comfortable silence reminded him of the times the two of them would visit the park, spending the evening on a bench. His head laid in her lap as her hand stroked through his hair while the din of playing children blanketed him even as sleep gradually overcame him.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, breaking the quietude.

"What about?"

"The Atlesian debt crisis" she deadpanned even as he giggled knowingly.

"Mom" he gasped theatrically, "that is not an appropriate topic to broach with your son!"

"Oh shush. I can still remember how you would find a way to crawl into bed with Jen whenever she was home"

His blush was almost as vivid as Ruby's, and he whined out an indignant "moooom" as he huffed.

"You can't out embarrass your mother, Jaune. I've seen you eating your own p-"

"OKAY YOU WIN" he yelled, attracting a few stares as he clamped down a hand on her mouth, feeling her smile underneath his palm.

"Will you tell me honestly how you feel now?"

Jaune exhaled. There was silence for a few seconds, then tasting the word in his mouth leisurely, he replied.

"Conflicted"

"About what?"

"I guess after living with you guys, I forgot not everyone is egalitarian. Some still look down on others for factors beyond their control"

He noted his mother's shoulders stiffen, but before she could make him spill he continued.

"But not my team. Hell, you saw yang shoot me in the foot. I'm pretty sure I won't have to worry about her coddling me. Pyrrha might be another case however she followed my instructions without hesitation" he said as he stopped in his tracks.

"Come to think of it, they all did. Why would they trust me, when they couldn't know if I was even trained or not?"

"Because you gave them orders they could see the merit in. I watched the fight, and though your footwork needs a lot of work, your tactics were above par. Besides, it's not like you told them to jump into the mouth of the deathstalker or anything. They'd have doubted even someone like Jen in that instance."

She gestured to an empty bench cushioned by the gardens, resuming once the two of them sat down.

"Eventually however, if you keep working together and all of you make an effort to make this team a family, they'll follow you right into the belly of the beast"

Jaune didn't reply, mulling his mother's words in his mind as they watched students, faculty and maintenance crews walk by. The breeze still affected him, aura apparently not effective against the elements.

"Why me, mom?"

"Hmm?" she replied distractedly, as he followed her eyes to see his father conversing animatedly with a green haired bespectacled woman.

"Why do I have aura?"

The sigh she released laid her exhaustion bare and he immediately regretted his inquiry.

"I don't know, Jaune. I confess, I never wanted you to come. But I knew you'd hate me forever if-"

"I'd never hate you" he replied immediately, sternly.

"Nonetheless, you'd resent living at home, and end up resenting me. The Grimm don't scare me Jaune, or not any more than they did for your sisters. No, I'm scared of something far more vicious."

She looked into his eyes somberly before replying.

"Humanity. Men and women who would love nothing better than to keep you in a lab until they figured out how to unlock the aura of other men. Already I hear rumors about petitions being made to the council for you to be 'examined' for the greater good", she scowled at his somewhat panicked expression before replying.

"Ozpin blocked them. I told you before and I'll tell you again Jaune, don't trust her. She has far too much power than is right for one person. I don't know what her game is, but she keeps everything close to her chest" his mother's hands tightened, and he could hear the metal of the bench screech, "No matter who dies because of it". The groaning metal was silenced as she let go of it to grasp his face.

"Promise me, if you're in trouble you'll come to me first. If you ever think your life is in danger or you think you might be made to do something you don't want to to save someone, you'll come to me first."

His mother's hysteria frightened him, but Jaune nodded anyway. Anything to rid her of her anxiety.

The panic receded, and she breathed a sigh of relief, bringing his face to hers to plant a kiss on his forehead. Despite his protests, he didn't _really_ attempt to break free either.

"Now come on. Your father is going to keep going all day if we let him, and I have to meet Natalie as well."

His mother stood, making her way to the chatting duo and his father had the decency to blush when confronted about forgetting why they were here. Jaune began to make his way when his eye caught sight of someone staring at him. He wheeled around, ready to accuse only to see the figure walk past him to greet someone in the gardens. Shaking his head, he made his way towards his parents just in time to stop his mother from humiliating his father even more.

All the while, the two figures in the garden didn't really seem like they wanted to hug. Their eyes locked instead on his back.

 **Before you lynch me, I told you this chapter was going to take longer. Moved to a new city and it took time to get down to writing. This chapter was a bit of world building and exposition, so hopefully you guys don't get bored. I know it's a massive dick move but I'm sorry. I can't really keep to updating this story every week. I'll try not to leave it for so long either but between unemployment and hunting universities for further studies its fair to say I'm a bit distracted. Anyways enough of my excuses, review and tell me what you like, what you don't, but most importantly. Tell me your opinion on the Argentine debt crisis of 2001. It gets me moist.**


End file.
